LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, J 

chap. .^SUX&L&g f 

Shelf ^.'x 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. | 




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'Ms 







1 h 



THE 



POEMS 



OF 



ALEXANDER MONTGOMERY 



WITH 



BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES, 



BY 



DAVID IRVING, LL. D. 




EDINBURGH : 

WxinteU l? fames Eallantgne attti «Eo» 

FOR W. AND C. TAIT, PRINCE'S STREET. 

1821. 



"PI? To A 



BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES 



OF 



ALEXANDER MONTGOMERY. 



Montgomery may be regarded as one of the 
most popular of the early Scotish poets. Some of 
those poets undoubtedly possessed higher powers 
of invention ; and the rank of Sir David Lindsay, 
together with the acknowledged efficacy of his satires 
on the tottering church, rendered him more conspi- 
cuous among his contemporaries ; but few Scotish 
poems of equal antiquity seem to have obtained so 
permanent a hold of the public attention as the 
Cherrie and the Slae. Of the life and character of 
the author, however, very few memorials have been 
transmitted to our times : so obscure indeed is his 



VI BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 

personal history, that his origin has commonly been 
supposed to be as uncertain as the period of his 
birth and of his death. 

Alexander Montgomery is represented by Demp- 
ster as the descendant of a noble family ; and we 
learn from Timothy Pont that he was born at Hazel- 
head-castle, in the county of Ayr. a The estate of 
Hazelhead was at that period possessed by a branch 
of the noble family of Eglinton. It is therefore 
more than probable that the poet was a younger 
brother of Montgomery of Hazelhead ; it is at least 
certain that he never inherited the family estate. b 
The history of his earlier years must still be left in 

a " Hasilhead-castle, a stronge old bulding, environed vith 
large ditches, seatted one a loche, veill planted and comodiosly 
beutified : the heritage of Robert Montgomery, laird therof. 
Faumes it is for ye birth of yat renomet poet Alexander Mont- 
gomer}-.*' (Cuningham Topograph! zed , ly Mr T. Pont : in 
Sir James Balfour's Collection on the severall Shires. MS. in 
the Advocates Library.) This statement respecting the place 
of his birth is noticed by Sir Robert Sibbald ; and the passage 
was pointed out, by Mr George Chalmers, to the writer of the 
annotations subjoined to this volume. See Sibbald's Account 
of the Writers who treat of the Description of Scotland, p. 22. 
Edinb. 1710, fol. 

b Crawford's Baronage, p. 289, 321. MS. Adv. Lib. Inqui- 
sitionum Abbreviatio, vol. i. Ayr, 54, 55. 



BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. Vll 

obscurity, but we may reasonably suppose that his 
education was suitable to his birth. If we may cre- 
dit his poetical antagonist, he was sent at an early 
period of life into the county of Argyle. c This ac- 
count seems to derive some degree of confirmation 
from Dempster's remark, that he was commonly 
called eques Montanus ; a phrase by which we must 
apparently understand " the Highland trooper," for 
Montgomery never received the honour of knight- 
hood. It may not be improper to add, that tradi- 
tions have been preserved of his residence in differ- 
ent districts ; and if these traditions are neither very 
satisfactory nor very important, they at least serve 
to evince that to the name of this poet some degree 
of consequence has uniformly been attached. An 
obscure versifier, who wrote at a very obscure pe- 
riod of our literary history, seems to represent him 
as an inhabitant of Badenyon. d John Wilson, the 

c While that thou past, baith poore and peild, 
Into Argyle, some lair to leir. 

Flyting, p. 110. 

d A Facetious Poem in imitation of the Cherry and Slae, gi- 
ving account of the entertainment Love and Despair got in the 
Highlands of Scotland ; revealed in a dream to one in pursuit 
of his stoln cows. By G. G. of S. Edinb. 1701, 8vo. 



Vlll BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 

author of Clyde, a descriptive poem printed at Glas- 
gow in 1764, has connected his name with Finlays- 
ton, the seat of the earl of Glencairn. 

But Finlayston demands the choicest lays ; 
A generous muse's theme in former days, 
When soft ^Montgomery poured the rural lay ; 
Whether he sung the vermeil dawn of day, 
Or in the mystic wreath, to sootli his woe, 
Twined the red cherry with the sable sloe.e 

But this tradition may perhaps be nearly allied to 
poetical embellishment ; for the families of Mont- 
gomery and Cunningham were separated by an in- 
veterate feud, and the poet, as we learn from one of 
his sonnets, was not exempted from this estrange- 
ment. Firilayston is not many miles distant from 
Hazelhead-castle;andhencepopulartradition, which 
is seldom attentive to minute particulars, may have 
confounded one place with another. A third tradi- 
tion has transferred Montgomery to Galloway ; nor 
is it difficult to suppose that he may, at different pe- 
riods of his life, have resided in all these districts. 
" Two miles above the said town of Kirkcudburgh, 
at the abbacy of Tongueland, just where a rivulet 

e See Dr Ley den's Scotish Descriptive Poems, p. 98. Etlinb. 
1803, 8vo. 



BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. IX 

called the water of Tarffe empties itselfe into the ri- 
ver of Dee, are great rocks and craigs, that in a dry 
summer do hinder the salmon from going higher up. 
<r - - I have heard it reported (how true I know not) 
that it was this place, and the situation thereof, 
which contributed towards the quickning of Cap- 
tain Alexander Montgomerie his fancie, when he 
composed the poem intituled the Cherie and the 
Slae." f 

The poet is commonly described as a caj3tain ; 
and it may therefore be presumed that he had fol- 
lowed the profession of a soldier, or at least it seems 
not so probable that he had followed the profession 
of a sailor. We however find sufficient evidence that 
he experienced the precarious fortune of a courtier ; 
and at one period he appears to have been in the 
service of the regent Morton. When Patrick Adam- 
son was promoted to the archbishopric of St An- 
drews, an event which occurred in the year 1577? 
there was then at court " Captain Montgomery, a 
good honest man, the regent's domestic/' who recol- 



f A Large Description of Galloway, by Mr Andrew Symson. 
MS. Adv. Lib — This description was drawn up in 1G84, and 
enlarged in 1692. 



X BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES, 

lecting a phrase which the new primate was apt to 
employ in his sermons, remarked to some of his 
companions ; " for as often as it was reported by Mr 
Patrick, the prophet would mean this, I never under- 
stood what the prophet meant till now." g Among 
the gentlemen of the king's household there was a 
Captain Robert Montgomery ; but it is more proba- 
ble that this anecdote relates to the poet. 

The Earl of Morton resigned his office in the year 
1578. Montgomery appears to have been after- 
wards employed, in some capacity or other, in the 
service of the king ; nor could his poetical talents, 
and perhaps we may add his poetical panegyrics, 
fail to recommend him to that learned monarch. 
The condition of a courtier however is proverbially 
unstable, and the works of this court poet sufficient- 
ly attest the vicissitudes to which he was exposed. 
For what offence he at one period became less ac- 
ceptable at court, he has not enabled us to deter- 
mine ; but it is a very obvious conjecture that a wri- 
ter who displayed a strong vein of satire may have 
had many enemies, secret as well as avowed. His 

g James Melville's Diary, p. 40. MS. Adv. Lib See Dr 

M'Crie's Life of Andrew Melville, vol. i. p. 191. 



BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. XI 

services were however rewarded by an annual pen- 
sion of five hundred marks, chargeable upon certain 
rents of the archbishopric of Glasgow. This grant 
was confirmed in 1583, but the payment was to be 
computed from the preceding year. h In 1586, 
" upon special and good respects moving our sove- 
reign lord, his highness gave and granted" to Cap- 
tain Montgomery his royal license to absent himself 
from the kingdom for the space of five years, and 
during that period to visit France, Flanders, Spain, 
and other countries. It was perhaps during this in- 
terval that he visited London, where his sonnet to 
W. Murray appears to have been written. An au- 
thentic document informs us that he was detained 
in a foreign prison, and that the payment of his pen- 
sion had been iniquitously withheld, " to his great 
hurt, hinder, and prejudice, whereas his good ser- 
vice merited rather augmentation than diminishing 
of the said pension." The former grant was there- 
fore renewed and confirmed by a writ of privy seal, 
dated at Holyroodhouse on the 21st of March, 1588, 
or, according to our present computation, 1589. 1 

h Register of Presentations to Benefices, vol. ii. f. 91. 
* Register of Privy Seal, vol. lix. f. 88. 



Xll BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 

With respect to the payment of this pension, 
Montgomery appears from his sonnets to have been 
involved in a tedious law-suit in the court of ses- 
sion. One of the pleas of the other party must have 
been connected with the absence of the archbishop 
of Glasgow ; for the poet urges that Beaton must 
either be living or dead, and that either alternative 
is favourable to his cause. The language in which 
he addresses the judges is very strong and indig- 
nant; he speaks of their conscience as <coal- blacky 
and asks how they can live without selling their suf- 
frages. In a sonnet addressed to Robert Hudson 
he thus describes his situation z 

My best-belouit brother of the hand, 
I grein to sie the sillie smiddy smeik: 

This is no lyfe that I live vpaland, 
On rau rid herring reistit in the reik : 
Syr* I am subject somtyme to be seik, 

And daylie deing of my auld diseis.^ 

From Christian Lindsay*s sonnet to Hudson, it may 
be inferred that the old disease to which he here al- 
ludes was the gravel. On the fidelity of Hudson he 
seems to have relied with too much confidence ; for 
Lindsay upbraids him with his courtier's kindness. 1 

k P. 75. * P. 78. 



BIOGRAFHICAL NOTICES. Xlll 

In the following sonnet, Montgomery bewails his 
accumulated misfortunes. 

If lose of guids, if gritest grudge or grief, 

If povertie, imprisonment, or pane, 

If for guid will ingratitude agane, 
If languishing in langour but relief. 
If det, if dolour, and to become deif, 

If travell tint, and labour lost in vane, 

Do properlie to poets appertane, 
Of all that craft my chance is to be chief. 
With August Virgill wauntit his reuard, 

And Ovid's lote als lukles as the lave : 
Quhill Homer liv'd, his hap wes wery hard, 

Zit, vhen he died, sevin cities for him strave. 1 ^ 
Thoght I am not lyk one of thame in arte, 
I pingle thame perfytlie in that parte. 11 

From the various poems of Montgomery many 
other hints may be gleaned respecting the author 
and his connexions. His birth, he informs us, took 
place <e on Easter day at morn/' He has even af- 
forded us some information with regard to his per- 

m Bella gerunt urbes septem de patria Homeri : 
Nulla domus vivo, patria nulla fuit. 

Buchanan. Elegia i. 

n P. 70. In the last line, the Drummond MS. reads u all 
perfytlie ;" but this is evidently a mistake of the transcriber. 
o Quhy wes my birth on Eister day at morne ? P. 141. 



XIV BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 

son : he speaks of himself as not being tall, p but pro- 
fesses to be sufficiently satisfied with his own shape. q 
The period at which he composed his principal 
works cannot now be ascertained, and even the pe- 
riod at which some of them were first printed is 
very doubtful. Several of his shorter pieces occur in 
Bannatyne's MS., which was written so early as the 
year 1568. Three of his productions, namely, Echo, 
the Flyting, and the Cherrie and the Slae, are quoted 
in " Ane Schort Treatise, conteining some Eevlis 
and Cautelis to be obseruit and eschewit in Scottis 
Poesie/' published by King James in the year 15S4. r 
Compositions of a very considerable length were at 
that time circulated in manuscript ; nor does the last 
of these poems appear to have been printed before 
the year 1597 > when two editions issued from the 
press of Robert Waldegrave. The second is said to 
be " prented according to a copie corrected be the 
author himselfe. ,, Of the edition printed by Andrew 
Hart in 1615, the title-page avers that the poem had 



P Thoght I be laigh, I beir a michtie mynd. P. 204. 
q I thank my God, I shame not of my shap. P. 203. 
r This treatise forms a part of the volume entitled The Essay es 
of a Prentise in the Divine Art ofPoesie, Edinb. 1584, 4to. 



BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. XV 

been revised not long before the author's death. It 
may therefore be inferred, that he died in the inter- 
val between 1597 and 1615. According to Demp- 
ster, he died in 1591; s but this learned man wrote 
in Italy, and his work, which was printed after the 
author's death, abounds with typographical errors, 
not to mention errors of another description. Mont- 
gomery has written the epitaphs of two individuals, 
Robert Scot and Sir Robert Drummond, who both 
died in the year 1592. It is highly probable that 
he still survived in 1605, when The Mindes Melo- 
die was printed by Robert Charteris. A very small 

" Alexander Montgomeri, eques Montanus vulgo vocatus, 
nobilissimo sanguine, Pindarus Scoticus, ingenii elegantia et car- 
minis venustate nulli veterum secundus, regi charissimus Ja- 
cobo, qui poeticen rnirifice eo aevo amplexabatur, quique poetas 
claros sodales suos vulgo vocari voluit, multis ingenii sui moni- 
mentis patriam linguam ditavit et exornavit : ad me, qui impu- 
bes patriam reliqui, paucorum notitia pervenit. In his, Cerasns 
et Vaccinium, lib. i. poema divinum, quo amores suos descrip- 
serat; per cerasum arnicas sublimis dignitatem, per vaccinium 
contemnendos inferioris et fastiditae amasiae amplexus intelligens. 
Satyra in Poulartum^ lib. i. qua nihil virulentius aut ingeniosius 
Musae comminiscuntur, aetas certe nostra non vidit. Epigrammata 
vernacula, lib. i. Cantiones amatorice, lib. i. Obiit magno regis 
dolore, qui ingenii ipsius festiva comitate non vulgariter oblecta- 
batur, anno 1591." (Dempsteri Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis 
Scotorum, p. 496. Bononiae, 1627, 4to.) 



XVI BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 

collection of devotional poems might be published 
anonymously by the author himself; but if so in- 
considerable a collection had been thought worthy 
of publication after his death, it is much more likely 
that his name would not have been suppressed. 
That this is the genuine work of Montgomery, 
cannot reasonably be doubted : the version of the 
twenty-third psalm which occurs in this collection, 
is ascribed to him in Bannatyne's MS. ; and the ver- 
sion of the first psalm is ascribed to him both in 
this and in the Drummond MS. 

Among the books presented to the university of 
Edinburgh by Drummond of Hawthornden, one of 
its early ornaments, there is a manuscript contain- 
ing Montgomery's sonnets and other miscellaneous 
poems ; and from this manuscript the greater part 
of these are now printed for the first time. It ex- 
tends to 163 pages in quarto, and is written in a 
neat and regular hand : it has been preserved with 
some degree of care, but by reducing it to the di- 
mensions of the printed tracts together with 'which 
it forms a volume, the bookbinder has unfortunately 
shorn away several words and portions of words. 
These mutilations have in various instances been 



BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. XV11 

supplied from conjecture, and every insertion of this 
kind is scrupulously inclosed with brackets. 1 

The poems of Montgomery display an elegant 
and lively fancy ; and his versification is often dis- 
tinguished by a degree of harmony which most of 
his contemporaries were incapable of attaining. He 
has attempted a great variety of subjects, as well as 
of measures, but his chief beauties seem to be of the 
lyric kind. It is highly probable that his taste was 
formed by the study of the Italian poets ; he has 
left many sonnets, constructed on the regular mo- 
del, and his quaint conceits seem not unfrequently 
to betray their Italian origin. The subject of love, 
which has afforded so fertile a theme to the poets of 
every age and nation, has furnished Montgomery 
with the most common and favourite topic for the 
exercise of his talents ; and the expression of his real 
or imaginary passion for Lady Margaret Montgo- 
mery, is varied with no small perseverance and ad- 
dress. 



t It is necessary to state that neither the credit nor the respon- 
sibility of editorship belongs to me : the poems were collected, ar- 
ranged, and conducted through the press, by Mr David Laing, 
who likewise contributed the notes on the reverse of the different 
title-pages* and at the end of the volume. 

b 



XVlll BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 

His most serious effort is the Ckerrie &n& the Slae, 
a poem of considerable length, and certainly of very 
considerable ingenuity. It is however dismissed 
with very little ceremony by an acute writer, who, 
in more instances than one^ has endeavoured to dis- 
tinguish himself by strong and paradoxical asser- 
tions. " It is a very poor production ; and yet, I 
know not how, it has been frequently printed, while 
far superior works have been neglected. The stanza 
is good for a song ; but the worst in the world for 
a long poem. The allegory is weak and wire- 
drawn; and the whole piece beneath contempt. 
Let it then sleep/' u — A poem which has retained 
its popularity for the space of two hundred years, 
must not so rashly be pronounced contemptible ; and 
certainly he who looks with an unprejudiced eye, 
may here discover many traces of a poetical imagi- 

u Pinkerton's List of the Scotish Poets, p. cxviii.— ." I have 
at last," says Ritson in a letter to George Paton, " recovered 
the tune to which The Banks of Helicon, and The Cherrie and 
the Slae, were originally sung. Tho' lost in Scotland, and 
never, perhaps, known in England, it has been preserved in 
Wales, by the name of Glyn Helicon. Lord Hailes and Mr 
Tytler would have been glad of this discovery. " {Paton MSS. 
Adv. Lib.) 



BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. XIX 

nation. The images are scattered even with profu- 
sion, and almost every stanza displays the vivacity 
of the author's mind. In this as well as in his other 
productions, Montgomery's illustrations are very 
frequently and very happily drawn from the most 
familiar objects, and he often applies proverbial ex- 
pressions in a pointed and pleasing manner. His 
warmest admirers must however admit that the al- 
legory is too dark to be easily comprehended. Ac- 
cording to one critic, " the object of the poem is to 
represent the wishes, hopes, reasonings, and at- 
tempts of a lover, the mistress of whose passion 
was, by her rank and her personal excellencies, ex- 
alted greatly above his condition ;" but, according 
to another, u the allegory of this poem is, that mo- 
derate pleasures are better than high ones." Both 
these interpretations cannot be accurate, but they 
may both be erroneous. The genuine explanation 
of the allegory may perhaps be, that virtue, though 
of very hard attainment, ought to be preferred to 
vice : virtue is represented by the cherry, a refresh- 
ing fruit growing upon a tall tree, and that tree ri- 
sing from a formidable precipice ; vice is represented 
by the sloe, a fruit which may easily be plucked, but 



XX BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 

is bitter to the taste. The allegory was thus under- 
stood by Dempster, when he executed a Latin pa- 
raphrase of the poem : he describes it as iC opus 
poematicum de virtutum et vitiorum pugna, sive 
electio status in adolescentia ;" but, in another work, 
he explains the allegory as relating to the choice of 
a lofty or humble mistress. Such indistinctness of 
delineation must undoubtedly be considered as a 
material defect ; and I have sometimes been incli- 
ned to suppose that Montgomery originally formed 
one plan, and afterwards attempted to engraft an- 
other. The second edition ends in the seventy- 
seventh stanza, which is left incomplete ; and in the 
next edition no fewer than thirty-seven entire stan- 
zas are added. The poem, in its present form, ex- 
hibits an amatory commencement and a moral ter- 
mination. 

Montgomery and Hume seem to have been am- 
bitious of rivalling Dunbar and Kennedy; they 
have exhausted almost every term of abuse which 
the language afforded. Their Flyting, if we may 
credit the introductory address, was not the result 
of a real quarrel, but merely an effort of ingenuity, 
or what is there described as generous emulation : 



BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. XXI 

if however such was their sportive, what must have 
been their ireful mood? Dempster has remarked 
that Montgomery's invectives are equally distin- 
guished by their virulence and their ingenuity ; and 
those of his antagonist, Sir Patrick Hume of Pol- 
warth/ can scarcely be considered as inferior in 
either respect. Many of the terms which they em- 
ploy are highly offensive to delicate ears ; and some 
apology is perhaps due to the public for again pre- 
senting such a composition to its notice. At all 
events, it cannot but be regarded as a literary curi- 
osity ; nor must the reliques of an unrefined age be 
scrutinized with too much severity. w 

Montgomery, who did not scruple to write such 
coarse invectives, has likewise written many devo- 

v Dempster. Hist. Ecclesiast. Gent. Scotor. p. 358 Sir Pa- 
trick Hume died in the year 1609. His grandson Patrick was 
created Lord Polwarth, and afterwards earl of Marchmont. 

w " Among the ancients, plain speaking was the fashion ; nor 
was that ceremonious delicacy, introduced, which has taught men 
to abuse each other with the utmost politeness, and express the 
most indecent ideas in the most modest language. The ancients 
had little of this. They were accustomed to call a spade a spade ; 
to give every thing its proper name. There is another sort of in- 
decency which is infinitely more dangerous ; which corrupts the 
heart without offending the ear." (Porson's Tracts^ p. 13. 
Lond. 1815, 8vo.) 



XX11 BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 

tional verses ; thus exhibiting one series of compo- 
sitions as a complete contrast to another— exhibit- 
ing that inconsistency into which human nature is 
so easily betrayed. Besides composing various 
poems of a pious -tendency, he has versified several 
of the psalms ; and, in conjunction with other indi- 
viduals, " principals of English poesy in their 
time," ho offered to execute a complete version. 1 

The miscellaneous poems of this writer are very 
numerous, and may therefore be supposed to pos- 
sess very different degrees of merit. The longest of 
them, which bears the title of The Navigatiovn, 
seems to have been written for a court pageant, and 
the Cartell of the ihre Ventrous Knickts is evident- 
ly of this denomination. As they contain no com- 
pliment or allusion to the queen, they may be sup- 
posed to have been produced before the king's mar- 



x " If it had beine found expedient to alter these psalmes, 
Mongomerie and som vthers, .principalis of Inglish poesie in 
ther tymes, as they gave yr assayes of som psalmes yet extant, 
so they offered to translate the whole book freilie without any 
price for yr paines, ather frae the publicke state or privat mens 
purses." The paper from which I extract this passage appears 
to have been written in 1632, when an attempt was made to su- 
persede the old version by that cf King James. See Blackwood's 
Magazine, vol. iii. p. 100. 



BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. XX1H 

riage. The poem entitled Echo presents us with a 
specimen of a somewhat fantastic mode of composi- 
tion/ of which many other examples are to be found 
in the writings of the earlier poets. The same mode 
of composition has been attempted by other Scotish 
writers, by David Hume of Godscroft and by Cap- 
tain William Mercer ; z and, though not very cre- 
ditable to ancient taste, it may even be traced back 
to the Greek writers. Some vestiges of it are to be 
found in Aristophanes, though he can scarcely be 
said to furnish any proper model of echoing verses : z 
but an epigram, written by an obscure author na- 
med Gauradas, and inserted in the Anthology, is 
completely of this description ; b and, from an ex- 
pression of Martial, it may perhaps be inferred that 
the Greek poets frequently produced such laborious 
trifles. 

Quod nee carmine glorior supino, 
Nee retro lego Sotaden cinaedum, 

y Quhat lovers, Echo, maks sik querimony ? &c. P. 150. 

z Humii Daphn. Amaryllis. Lond. 1605, 4to. Mercer's An* 
glice Speculum^ or England's Looking- Glasse, sig. N. 2. b. 
Lond. 1646, 4to. 

a Aristophanis Thesmophor. v 1069. edit. Brunck. 

b Anthologia Graeca, torn. iii. p. 147- edit. Jacobs. ' 



XXIV BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 

Nusquam Groecula quod recantat Echo y 
Nee dictat mihi luculentus Attis 
Mollem debilitate galliambon, 
Non sum, Classice, tarn malus poeta.e 

According to Sealiger, the echoing verses of the 
Latins are less frigid than those of the Greeks ; d but 
the purer ages of Roman literature do not present 
us with any specimens of such compositions. They 
were much better adapted to the age of Sidonius, 
who has celebrated one of his contemporaries as a 
writer of echoing elegies. e The practice of com- 

c Martial, lib. ii. epig. lxxxvi. — See the ample commentary 
of Raderus, ad Martialem Curce tertios^ p. 235. Mogunt. 
1627, fol. 

<* Scaligeri Poetice, lib. ii. cap. xxix. 

e Sidonii Opera, p. 236. edit. Sirmond. Paris. 1652, 4to.— . 
The edition of Savaro (Paris, 1609, 4to.) reads, u elegos vere 
nunc schoicos." P. 527. Sirmond remarks that most of the 
MSS. have eschoicos^ or some similar phrase ; and he very hap- 
pily reads, " elegos vero nunc echoicos" The text is thus ex- 
plained by this very learned editor : " Echoicos autem elegos ab 
Echo dicere videtur eos, quorum principii ac finis idem est hemi- 
stichium. hiavrovg xki xvxXovg diceret Hermogenes. Tale est 
Pentadii de adventu veris integrum epigramma, in eoque de 
Echo ipsa hoc distichum : 

Per cava saxa sonat pecudum mugitibus Echo, 
Voxque repulsa jugis per cava saxa sonat. 



BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES, XXV 

posing verses on this model seems to have been re- 
vived by Politian, a man of singular talents and at- 
tainments ; and his Echo may here be produced as 
an object of some curiosity, 

Che fai tu, Ecco, mentre ch'io ti chiamo ? Amo. 

Ami tu duo, o pur un solo ? Un solo. 

E io te solo, e non altri, amo. Altri amo. 

Dunque non ami tu un solo. Un solo. 

Questo e un dirmi : I'non t'amo. I'non Camo. 

Quel che tu ami, amil tu solo ? Solo. 

Chi t'ha levato dal mio amore ? Amore* 

Che fa quello a chi porti amore ? Ah, more ! f 

Such an example was imitated by many of the Ita- 
lian and other poets. It has frequently been imita- 

Scio in Servii Centimetro echoicum versum definiri, cujus ultima 
syllaba penuHimae congruit, ut est hie : 

Exercet mentes fraternas gratia rara. 

Sed hoc genus ad Sidonium non facit, qui artificia tractat qua* 
in elegis cernuntur." (Notce ad Sidonium^ p. 90.) Whether it 
is not more probable that Sidonius alludes to the species of echo- 
ing verses attempted by Montgomery, 1 shall not at present in- 
quire. 

f Poesie di Angelo Poliziano, p. 252. ediz. Milano, 1808, 
Svo — To these verses Politian apparently alludes in his MisceU 
lanea.^ cap. xxii. " Quales etiam vernaculos ipsi quospiam feci- 
mus, qui nunc a musicis celebrantur, Henrici modulaminibus 
commendati." 

9 



XXVI 



BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 



ted by the writers of Latin verses, and Erasmus has 
presented us with a morsel of prose on a similar 
model : Echo is the respondent in one of his collo- 
quies, and returns some very laconic and facetious 
answers. 




EDITIONS 



OF 



MONTGOMERY'S POEMS. 



The Cherrie and the Slaye. Composed into Scottis Mee- 
ter, by Alexander Montgomerie. Edinbvrgh, printed be 
Robert Walde-graue, printer to the Kings Majestic 
Anno Dom. 1597, 4 to. 

— Prented according to a Copie corrected be the Author 
himselfe. Edinbvrgh, prented be Robert Walde-graue, 
prenter to the Kings Majestic Anno 1597, 4 to. — See 
p. 1. 

— Edinburgh, printed by Andro Hart, 1615. — See p. 
2. 

— Edinbvrgh, printed by Iohn Wreittoun, 1636, 8vo. 

— Aberdene, imprinted by Edward Raban, Laird of Let- 
ters, and are to bee sold at his shop, at the end of the 
Broad-gate, 1645, 8vo. 

— With alterations. Glasgow, 1668, 12mo. 

— Edinburgh, printed by Andrew Anderson, and are to 
be sold at his house, on the north side of the Cross. 
An. Dom. 1675, 12mo. 



XXV111 EDITIONS OF 

— Inserted in A Choice Collection of Comic and Serious 
Scots Poems, both Ancient and Modern, by several 
hands, part i. Edinburgh, printed by James Watson : 
sold by John Vallange, 1706, 8vo. 

— Edinburgh, 1722, 12mo. 

— Inserted in Ramsay's Ever-green, vol. ii. Edinburgh, 
1724, 8vo. 

— Glasgow, printed and sold by Robert Foulis, 1746, 
12mo. 

— Glasgow, printed and sold by Robert and Andrew 
Foulis, 1751, 8vo. 

— Glasgow, printed by Robert Urie, 1754, 8vo. and 
12mo. 

— Glasgow, printed by G. Hall, 1757, 18vo. 

— The Cherry and the Sloe, corrected and modernized ; 
the old spelling being mostly altered, except where the 
rhime makes it necessary to preserve the old. By J. D. 
Edinburgh, printed for Robert Jamieson, Parliament- 
Square, 1779, 8vo. 

Cerasum et Sylvestre Prunum. Opus Poematicum. De 
virtutum et vitiorum pugna. Sive electio status in ado- 
lescentia. Authore primo nobili Domino Alexandro 
Montgomrio Scoto poeta regio, idiomatis materni lau- 
reato. Nunc rursus auctum et in Latinos versus trans- 
latum. Per T. D. S. P. M. B. P. P. In gratiam illustris 
et generosi herois D. Alexandri Brussii capitanei co- 
hortis peditum Scotorum, Domini de Kinkawil. Arc- 
tauni Francorum, typis Fleischmannicis. Anno 1631, 
8vo. 

— Juxta exemplar impressum Arctauni Francorum, typis 
Fleschmannicis, Anno Dom. 1631. Edinburgi, excu- 
debant haeredes et successores Andreae Anderson, Regiae 



MONTGOMERY S POEMS. XXIX 

Majestatis typography Anno Dom. 1696, et vaenales 
prodeunt ex officina M. Hen. Knox, in sedificiis vulgo 
dictis the Luclcen-Booths, 8vo. 

The Mindes Melodie. Edinbvrgh, 1605, 8vo. — See p. 
247. 

The Flyting betwixt Montgomerie .and Polwart. Edin- 
burgh, printed by Andro Hart, 1621, 4to. — Seep. 100. 

— Edinbvrgh, printed by the heires of Andro Hart, 1629, 
4 to.— See p. 99. 

— Edinbvrgh, printed by the heirs of Thomas Finlason, 
1629, 4to.— See p. 100. 

— Glasgow, 1665, 8vo. 

-— Printed in the year 1688, 8vo. 

— Inserted in Watson's Choice Collection of Poems, part 
iii. Edinburgh, 1711, 8vo. 



THE CHERRIE 

AND THE SLAE. 
Compqjed into Scottts Meeter, be 

Alexander Moxtgomerie. 

Prented according to a Copie corrected be 

the Author hvmfelfe. 




EDINBVRGH, 
Prented be Robert Walde-graite, 

Prenter to the Kings Majeftie. 

Anno 1597. 
Cum Privilegio Regio. 



No edition of the Cherrie and the Slae has been disco- 
vered of an earlier date than 1597 ; in which year it was 
twice printed, at Edinburgh, by Robert Walde-grave. 
The second of these editions has been adopted : — The 
title-page informs us, it was fC Prented according to 
a Copie Corrected be the Author himselfe." Several 
stanzas were afterwards added by the Author, in an im- 
pression which issued, in the year 1615, from the press of 
Andro Hart. This edition was followed by Allan Ram- 
say, in his reprint of the Cherrie and the Slae in the 
Evergreen ; where it is said to have been " newly alter- 
ed, perfyted, and divided into 114 quatorziems, not long 
before the Author s death." The Publishers have endea- 
voured to recover this edition of Hart, which had already 
been sought for in vain by Lord Hailes, JRitson, and other 
poetical antiquaries ; but, having been unsuccessful in this 
attempt, they have inserted the additional stanzas as they 
are found in the Evergreen of Ramsay* 



THE C HERRI E 



AND 



THE SLAE. 



i. 

About ane bank, quhair birdis on bewis 
Ten thousand. tymis thair notis renewis, 

like houre into the day ; 
The Merle and Maueis micht be sene, 
The Progne and the Philomene ; 

Quhilk caussit me to stay. 
I lay, and leynit me to ane bus, 

To heir the birdis' beir ; 
Thair mirth was sa melodius, 
Throw nature of the zeir : 
Sum singing, sum springing, 
With wingis into the sky ; 
So trimlie and nimlie, 

Thir birdis they flew me by. 



THE CHERRIE 
II. 

I saw the Hurcheoun and the Hair, 
Quha fed amangis the flowris fair, 

Wer happing to and fro : 
I saw the Cunning and the Cat, 
Quhais downis with the dew was wat, 

With mony beistis mo. 
The Hart, the Hynd, the Dae, the Rae, 

The Fowmart, and the Foxe, 
War skowping all fra brae to brae, 
Amang the water broxe ; 
Sum feiding, sum dreiding 

In cais of suddain snairis ; 
With skipping and tripping, 
They hantit all in pairis. 

III. 

The air was sa attemperate, 
But ony myst immaculate, 

Bot purefeit and cleir ; 
The flouris fair wer flurischit, 
As Nature had them nurischit, 

Baith delicate and deir : 
And euery blome on branche and bewch 

So prettily wer spred, 
And hang their heidis out ouir the hewch, 
In Mayis colour cled ; 

Sum knopping, sum dropping 

Of balmie liquor sweit, 
Distelling and smelling, 

Throw Phoebus hailsum heit. 



AND THE SLAE. 
IV 

The Cukkow and the Cuschet cryde, 
The Turtle, on the vther syde, 

Na plesure had to play ; 
So schil in sorrow was her sang, 
That, throw her voice, the roches rang ; 

For Eccho answerit ay, 
Lamenting sair Narcissus* cace, 

Quha staruit at the well ; 
Quha with the shaddow of his face 
For lufe did slay himsell: 

Quhylis weiping, and creiping, 

About the well he baid ; 
Quhylis lying, quhylis crying, 
Bot it na answere maid. 

V. 

The dew as diamondis did hing, 
Vpon the tender twistis and zing, 

Ouir-twinkling all the treis : 
And ay quhair flowris flourischit faire, 
Jhair suddainly I saw repaire, 

In swarmes the sownding Beis. 
Sum sweitly toes the hony socht, 

Quhil they war cloggit soir ; 
Sum willingly the waxe hes wrocht, 
To heip it vp in stoir : 
So heiping, with keiping, 

Into thair hy ves they hyde it, 
Precyselie and wyselie, 

For winter they prouyde it. 



6 THE CHERRIE 

VI. 

To pen the pleasures of that Park, 
How euery blossome, branche, and bark 

Agaynst the sun did schyne, 
I leif to Poetis to compyle 
In staitlie verse, and lofty style : 

It passis my ingyne. 
Bot, as I mussit myne allane, 

I saw an river rin 
Out ouir ane craggie rok of stane, 
Syne lichtit in ane lin, 

With tumbling and rumbling 

Amang the rochis round, 
Dewalling, and falling 
Into that pit profound. 

VII. 

To heir thae startling stremis cleir, 
Me thocht it musique to the eir, 

Quhair deskant did abound ; 
With trible sweit, an tenor iust, 
And ay the eccho repercust 

Hir diapason sound, 
Set with the Ci-sol^fa-uth cleife, 

Thairby to knaw the note : 
Thair soundt a michtie semibreif, 
Out of the Elphis throte ; 
Discreitlie, mair sweitlie, 
Nor craftie Amphion, 
Or Musis that vsis 
At fountaine Helicon* 



AND THE SLAE. 

VIII. 

Quha wald haue tyrit to heir that tune, 
Quhilk birdis corroborate ay abune, 

Throu schowting of the Larkis ; 
Sum flies sa high into the skyis, 
Quhill Cupid walkinnes with the cryis 

Of Nature's chappell clarkis ; 
Quha, leving all the hevins aboue, 

Alighted in the eird. 
Loe how that little God of Loue 
Befoir me thair appeird, 

So myld-lyke, and chyld-lyke, 

With bow thrie quarteris scant ; 
So moylie and coylie, 
He lukit like ane Sant. 

IX. 

Ane cleinlie crispe hang ouir his eyis ; 
His quauer by his naked thyis 

Hang in ane siluer lace : 
Of gold, betwix his schoulders, grew 
Twa pretty wingis, quhairwith he flew ; 

On his left arme, ane brace : 
This God aff all his geir he schuik, 

And laid it on the grund : 
I ran als busie for to luik, 
Quhair ferleis micht be fund : 
Amasit I gasit 

To see that geir sa gay : 
Persawing my hawing, 
He countit me his pray. 



THE CHERRIE 

X. 

His zouth and stature made me stout ; 
Of doubleness I had nae doubt, 

But bourded with my boy : 
Quod I, " How call they thee, my chyld ?" 
u Cupido, Sir," quod he, and smyld, 

" Please you me to imploy ; 
For I can serve you in your suite, 

If you please to impyre, 
With wings to flie, and schafts to schute, 
Or flamis to set on fyre. 

Mak choice then of those then, 

Or of a thousand things ; 
But crave them, and have them ;" 
With that I wowd his wings. 

XL 

" Quhat wald thou giue, my freind," quod he, 
" To haf thae prettie wingis to flie, 

To sport thee for a quhyle ? 
Or quhat, gif I suld len thee heir 
My bow and all my shuting geir, 

Sum bodie to begyle ?" 
" That geir," quod I, " can not be bocht, 

Zit I wald haif it faine." 
" Quhat, gif," quod he, " it coist thee nocht 
But randring it againe." 

His wingis than, he bringis than, 

And band them on my back : 
" Go flie now," quod he now, 
" And so my leif I tak." 



A XI) THE SLAE. 
XII. 

I sprang vp on Cupidoes wingis, 
Quha bow and quauir baith resingis, 

To lend me for ane day : 
As Icarus with borrowit flicht, 
1 mountit hichar nor I micht ; 

Ouir perrelous ane play. 
Than furth I drew that deadlie dairt 
Quhilk sumtyme schot his mother, 
Quhair with I hurt my wanton heart, 
In hope to hurt ane vther ; 
It hurt me, it burt me, 

The ofter I it handill t 
Cum se now, in me now, 
The butter-flie and candill. 

XIII. 
As scho delytis into the low, 
Sa was I browdin in my bow, 

Als ignorant as scho : 
And as scho flies, quhill sche be fyrit, 
Sa, with the dart that I desyrit, 

My hand hes hurt me to. 
As fulisch Phaeton, be sute, 
His fatheris cart obteind, 
I'langt in Luiffis bow to shute, 
Bot weist not what it meind ; 
Mair wilfull than skilfull, 

To flie I was so fond, 
Desyring, impyring ; 
And sa was sene vpond* 



10 THE CHERRIE 

XIV. 
To late I knaw, quha hewis to hie, 
The spail sail fall into his eie ; 

To late I went to scuillis : 
To late I heard the Swallow preich ; 
To late Experience dois teiche, 
The skuill-maister of fuillis : 
To late to fynde the nest I seik, 

Quhen all the birdis are flowin ; 
To late the stabill dore I steik, 
Quhen all the steids are stowin. 
To lait ay their stait ay, 

All fulische folke espye : 
Behynd so, they fynd so 
Remeid, and so do I. 

XV. 
Gif I had rypelie bene aduysit, 
I had not rashlie enterprysit 

To soir with borrowit pennis ; 
Nor zit had saied the archer craft, 
Nor schot myself with sik a schaft, 

As resoun quite miskennis. 
Fra wilfulnes gaue me my wound, 

I had na force to flie ; 
Then came I granand to the ground : 
" Freind, welcome hame," quod he ; 
" Quhair flew ye, quhome slew ye, 

Or quha bringis hame the buiting ? 
I sie now," quod he now, 

" Ye haif bene at the schuting." 



AND THE SLAE. 11 

XVI. 

As skorne cummis commonlie with skaith, 
Sa I behuifit to bide them baith : 

quhat an stakkering stait ! 
For vnder cure I gat sik chek, 
Quhilk I micht nocht remuif nor nek, 

Bot eyther stail or mait ; 
My agonie was sa extreme 

1 swelt and swoundt for feir. 
Bot or I walkynnit of my dreme, 

He spulzied me of my geir ; 
With flieht than, on hicht than 

Sprang Cupid in the skyis, 
Forzetting and setting 

At nocht my cairfull cryis. 

XVIL 

Sa lang with sicht 1 followit him, 
Quhill baith my feiblit eyis grew dim, 

With staring on the starnis ; 
Quhilk flew sa thick befoir my ein, 
Sum reid, sum zellow, blew, and grein, 

Sa trublit all my harnis, 
Quhill euery thing apperit two 

To my barbuilziet braine : 
Bot lang micht I lye luiking so, 
Or Cupid come againe; 

Quhais thundring, with wondring, 

I hard vp throw the air ; 
Throw cluddis so he thuddis so, 
And flew I wist not quhair. 



12 THE CHERRIE 

XVIII. 

Fra that I saw that God was gane, 
And I in langour left allane, 

And sair tormentit to ; 
Sum tyme I sicht quhill I was sad. 
Sum tyme I musit and maist gane mad, 

I wist not quhat to do ; 
Sum tyme I ravit, halfe in a rage, 

As ane into dispaire : 
To be opprest with sic ane page 
Lord gif my heart was saire. 
Like Dido, Cupido, 

I wadill and warye, 
Quha reft me, and left me 
In sik a feirie-farye. 

XIX. 

Then felt I curage and desyre 
Inflame my heart with vncouth fyre, 

To me befoir vnknawin: 
Bot now na blud in me remaines, 
Vnbrunt and boyld within my vaines, 

By luffis bellies blawin. 
To quench, it or I was deuorit, 

With siches I .went about ; 
Bot ay the mair I schape to smorit, 
The baulder it brak out ; 
Ay preising, but ceising, 

Quhill it may breik the boundis : 
My hew so, furth schew so, 
The dolour of my woundis. 



AND THE SLAE. 13 

XX. 

With deidlie visage, pale and wan, 
Mair like ane atomie nor man, 

I widderit cleine away : 
As wax befoir the fyre, I felt 
My hart within my bosome melt, 

And pece and pece decay : 
My vaines with brangling like to brek, 

My punsis lap with pith, 
Sa feruently did me infek, 
That I was vext thair with. 
My hart ay, did start ay, 
The fyrie flamis to flie : 
Ay houping, throu louping, 
To win to liberty. 

XXI. 

But 6 alace ! byde it behuiffit, 
Within my cairfull corpis incluissit, 

In presoun of my breist ; 
With sichis sa sowpit and ouirset, 
Like to an fische fast in the net, 

In deid-thraw vndeceist, 
Quha, thocht in vaine, dois striue for strenth 

For to pull out heir heid, 
Quhilk profitis nathing at the lenth, 
Bot haistes hir to hir deid ; 
With wristing and thirsting, 

The faster still is scho : 
Thair I so did lye so, 
My death advancing to. 



14 THE CHERRIE 

XXII. 

The mair I wrestlit with the wynd, 
The faschter still myself I fynd : 

Na mirth my mynd micht mease. 
Mair noy , nor I, had neuer nane ; 
I was sa alterit and ouirgane, 

Throw drowth of my disease : 
Than weakly as I micht, I rayis ; 
My sicht grewe dim and dark ; 
I stakkerit at the windil-strayis, 
Na takin I was stark. 
Baith sichtles, and michtles, 

I grew almaist at ainis ; 
In angwische, I langwische, 
With mony grievous grainis. 

XXIII. 

With sober pace I did approche 
Hard to the riuer and the roche, 

Quhairof I spak befoir ; 
Quhais running sic a murmure maid, 
That to the sey it softlie slaid : 

The craig was high and schoir : 
Than pleasur did me so prouok 

Perforce thair to repaire, 
Betwix the riuer and the rok, 

Quhair Hope grew with Dispaire ; 
A trie than I sie than, 

Of Cherries in the braes; 
Belaw to, I saw to, 

Ane buss of bitter Slaes. 



AND THE SLAE. 15 

XXIV. 

The Cherries hang abune my heid, 
Like twinkland rubies round and reid, 

So hich vp in the hewch ; 
Quhais sehaddowis in the riuer schew, 
Als graithlie glansing, as they grewe 

On trimbling twistis tewch, 
Quhilk bowed throw burding of thair birth. 

Inclining downe thair toppis : 
Reflex of Phoebus of the firth, 
Newe colourit all thair knoppis ; 
With dansing, and glansing, 

In tirles dornik champ, 
Ay streimand and gleimand, 
Throw brichtnes of that lamp. 

XXV. 

With earnest eye quhil I espye 
The fruit betwixt me and the skye, 

Halfe gaite almaist to hevin ; 
The craig sa cumbersume to dim, 
The trie sa hich of growth, and trim 

As ony arrowe evin ; 
I cald to mind how Daphne did 

Within the laurell schrink, 
Quhen from Apollo scho hir hid, 
A thousand times I think ; 
That trie then, to me then, 
As he his laurell thocht, 
Aspyring, but tyring, 
To get that fruit I socht, 



16 THE CHERRIE 

XXVI. 

To clime the craige, it was na buit, 
Lat be to presse to pull the fruit 

In top of all the trie : 
I saw na way quhairby to cum, 
Be ony craft, to get it clum, 

Appeirandly to me : 
The craige was vgly, stay, and dreicb, 

The trie heich, lang, and smal ; 
I was affrayd to mount sa hich, 
For feir to get ane fall : 
Affrayit, to say it, 

I luikit vp on loft, 
Quhiles minting, quhiles stinting, 
My purpose changit oft. 

XXVI'L 

Then Dreid, with Danger and Dispaire, 
Forbad my minting anie mair, 

To raxe aboue my reiche : 
" Quhat tusche !" quod Curage, "man, go to, 
He is bot daft that hes ado, 

And spairis for euery speiche ; 
For I haue oft hard wise men say, 

And we may see our sellis, 
That fortune helps the hardie ay, 
And pultrones plaine repellis: 
Than feir not, nor heir not 

Dreid, Danger, or Dispaire ; 
To fazarts, hard hazarts 
Is deid or they cum thaire. 
2 



AND THE SLAE. 17 

XXVIII. 

K Quha speidis, bot sic as heich aspyris ? 
Quha triumphis nocht, but sic as tyris 

To win a nobill name ? 
Of schrinking quhat bot schame succeidis ? 
Than do as thou wald haif thy deidis 

In register of fame. 
I put the cais, thou nocht preuaild ; 

Sa thou with honour die, 
Thy life, bot not thy courage faild, 
Sail poetis pen of thee : 

Thy name than, from fame than, 

Sail neuir be cut aff; 
Thy graif ay, sail haif ay, 
That honest epitafF. 

XXIX. 

" Quhat can thou losse, quhen honour lyuis ? 
Renowne thy vertew ay reuyuis, 

Gif valiauntlie thou end :" 
Quod Danger, " Hulie, friend, tak heid ; 
Vntymous spurring spillis the steid ; 

Tak tent quhat ze pretend. 
Thocht Courage counsell thee to clim, 

Bewar thou kep na skaith : 
Haif thou na help but Hope and him ? 
They may beguyle the baith. 
Thy sell now can tell now 

The counsell of thae Clarkis ; 
Quhairthrow zit, I trow zit, 
Thy breist dois beir the markis. 



18 THE CHERRIE 

XXX. 

u Brunt bairn with fyre the danger dreidis ; 
Sa I beleif thy bosome bleidis, 
Sen last that fyre thou felt : 
Besydis this, seindell tymis the seis, 
That euer Curage keipis the key is 

Of knawledge at his belt : 
Thocht he bid fordwart with the gunnis. 

Small powder he prouydis. 
Be not ane novice of the Nunnis, 
That saw nocht baith the sydis : 
Fuil-haist ay almaist ay 

Ouirsylis the sicht of sum, 

Quha huikis not, nor lukis not, 

Quhat eftirward may cum. 

XXXI. 

' Zit Wisdome wischis the to wey 
This figour of philosophey, 
A lessoun worth to leir, 
Quhilk is, in tyme for to tak tent, 
And not when tyme is past repent, 

And buy repentance deir. 
Is thair na honoure efter lyfe, 
Except thou slay thy sell? 
Quhairfoir hes Attropus that knyfe ? 
I trow thou cannot tell, 
That but it, wald cut it, 

That Clotho skairse hes spun, 
Distroying, thy joying, 
Befoire it be begun. 



AND THE SLAE. 19 

XXXII. 

** All ouirs are repuit to be vyce ; 
Ore hich, ore law, ore rashe, ore nyce, 

Ore heit, or zit ore cauld : 
Thou seemes vn constant, be thy signs ; 
Thy thocht is on ane thousand things ; 

Thou wattis not quhat thou wald. 
Let fame hir pittie on the powre, 
Quhan all thy banes ar brokin : 
Zone Slae, suppose thou think it soure, 
May satisfie to slokkin 

Thy drouth now, o youth now, 

Quhilk drownis thee with desyre : 
As wage than, thy rage, man ; 
Foull water quenches fyre. 

XXXIII. 
u Quhat fule art thou, to die of thirst, 
And now may quench it, gif thou list, 

So easily, but paine ? 
Maire honor is, to vanquische ane, 
Nor feicht with tensum, and be tane, 

And outhir hurt or slane : 
The prattick is, to bring to passe, 

And not to enterprise ; 
And als guid drinking out of glas, 
As gold in ony wise. 
I leuir haue euer 

Ane foule in hand, or tway, 
Nor seand ten fleand 
About me, all the day. 



20 THE CHERRIE 

XXXIV. 

" Luik quhair to licht, before thou loup, 
And slip na certenty for Houp, 

Quha gydis thee bot be gesse." 
Quod Curage, " Cowartis takis na cuire 
To sit with schame, sa thay be suire; 

I like them all the lesse. 
Quhat plesure purchest is, but paine, 

Or honor wyn, with eis ? 
He will not ly quhair he is slaine, 
That douttis befoir he dies. 
For feir than, I heir than 
But onlie ane remeid ; 
That latt is, and that is, 
For to cut of the heid. 

XXXV. 

" Quhat is the way to heill thy hurt ? 
Quhat way is thair to stay thy sturt ? 

Quhat meinis may make thee merrie ? 
Quhat is the comfort that thou cravis ? 
Suppose thir sophistis the decewis, 
Thou knawis it is the Cherrie. 
Sen for it only thou bot thristis, 

The Slae can be na buit : 
In it also thy health consistis, 
And in na vther fruit. 

Thou quakis now, and schakis now, 

And studyes at our strife : 
Advise thee, it lyes thee, 
On na les nor thy life. 



AND THE SLAE. 21 

XXXVI. 

" Gif ony pacient wald be pancit, 
Quhy suld he loup, quhen he is lancit, 

Or schrink, quhen he is schorne ? 
For I haue heard chirurgianes say, 
Oft tymes deferring of ane day 

Micht not be mend the morne. 
Tak time in time, or time be tint, 

For tyme will not remaine : 

Quhat forces fire out of the flint. 

But als hard match againe ? 

Delay not, and stay not, 

And thou sal sie it sae : 
So gets ay, that sets ay, 
Stout stomackis to the brae. 

XXXVII. 
u Thocht all beginnings be most hard, 
And yschewis pleasand efterward ; 

Then schrink not for ane schoure : 
Frae anes that thou thy grening get, 
Thy paine and trauel is forzet ; 
The sweit exceidis the soure. 
Go to than quickly, feir not thir, 
For hope gud hap hes hecht/' 
Quod Danger, " Be not soddane, sir, 
The mater is of wecht ; 

First spye baith, syne try baith ; 

Aduisement dois na ill : 
I say than, ze may than 
Be wilfull quhen ze will ; 



22 THE CHERRIE 

XXXVIII. 

" Bot zet to mynd the proverbe call, 
c Quha vsis perrillis perische sail f 

Schort quhile thair lyfe them lastis." 
" And I haif hard/' quod Hope, " that he 
Sail nevir schaip to sayle the se, 

That for all perrils castis. 
How many throw dispaire ar deid 

That neuer perrillis preiuit ! 
How many also, gif thou reid, 
Of Hues we haue releiuit, 
Quha being, euin deing, 

But danger, bot dispaird ; 
A hunder, I wunder 

Bot thou hes hard declaird. 

XXXIX. 

€< Gif we twa hald not vp thy hart, 
Quhilk is the cheife and noblest part, 

Thy wark wald not gang weill ; 
Considdering thae companions can 
Perswade a sillie simpill man, 

To hazard for his heill. 
Suppose they haue desauit some, 

Or thay and we micht meit, 
Thay get na credit quhair we come, 
In ony man of spreit ; 
Be resoun, thair tressoun 

Be vs is first espyit ; 
Revetting thair deiling, 

Quhilk dowe not be denyit. 



AND THE SLAE. 23 

XL. 

u With sleikit sophismis seiming sweit, 
As all their doings war discreit, 
Thay wische thee to be wise ; 
Postponing tyme from hour to hour : 
Bot, faith, in vnderneath the flour, 

The lurking serpent lyis ; 
Suppois thou seis hir not a styme, 

Till tyme scbo sting thy fute. 
Persawis thou nocht, quhat precious tyme, 
Thy slewthing dois ouirschute ? 
Allace, man, thy cace, man, 

In lingring I lament : 
Go to now, and do now, 
That Curage be content. 

XLL 
6C Quhat gif Melancholie cum in, 
And get an grip or thou begin ? 

Than is thy labour lost ; 
For he will hald thee hard and fast, 
Till tyme, and place, and fruit be past, 

Till thou giue vp the ghost : 
Than sail be graud vpon the stane 

Quhilk on thy graue beis laid, 
Sum tyme their liued sik a ane. 
Bot how suld it be said ? 

Heir lyis now, but prise now, 

Into dishonors bed, 
Ane cowart, as thou art, 
That from his fortune fled, 



24 THE CHEItRIE 

XLII. 

" Imagyne, man, gif thou were laid 
In graue, and syne micht heir this said, 

Wald thou nocht sweit for schame ? 
Yes, faith, I doubt not bot thou wald ; 
Thairfoir, gif thou lies eyis, behald, 
How they wald smoir thy fame ! 
Go to, and make na mair excuse : 

Now life or honor lose, 
And outher them or vs refuis ; 
Thair is na vther chose. 
Considder, togidder 

That we can neuer dwell : 

At length ay, by strength aye, 

Thae pultrons we expell." 

XLIII. 
Quod Danger, " Sen I vnderstand, 
That counsall can be na command, 

I haif na mair to say ; 
Except, gif that he thocht it gude, 
Take counsall zit, or ze conclude, 

Of wyser men nor thay : 
They are bot rakles, zouhg, and rasche, 

Suppois thay think vs fleid : 
Gif of our fellowschip you fasche, 
Gang with tham hardlie beid. 
God speid zou, they leid zou, 

That hes not meikill wit ; 
Expell vs, and tell vs, 
Heirefter comes not zit/* 



AND THE SLAE. 25 

XLIV. 
Quhyle Danger and Dispaire retyrit, 
Experience came in, and speirit, 

Quhat all the matter meind : 
With him came Ressoun, Wit, and Skill, 
And thay began to speir at Will, 

n Quhair mak ze to, my freind ?" 
t( To pluk zone lustie Cherrie, loe," 

Quod he, " and not the Slae." 
Quod thay " Is thair na mair adoe, 
Or ze cum vp the brae, 
Bot to it, and do it, 

Perforce the fruit to pluck ? 
Weill, brother, some vther 
Wer meter to conduct. 

XLV. 
rt I grant ze may be gude aneuch, 
Bot zit the hazard of zon hewch, , 

Requyris ane grauer gyde. 
As wyse as ze ar may gang wrang ; 
Thair fore tak counsaill, or ze gang, 

Of sum that standis besyde. 
Bot quhilk wer zon thrie, ze forbad 

Zour company just now ?" 
Quod Will, " Thrie prechours, to perswad 
The poysand Slae to pow. 
They tratlit and ratlit, 

A lang half houre and mair ; 

Foull fall them, they call them, 

Dreid, Danger, and Dispaire. 



26 THE CHERRIE 

XLVI. 

cc Thay ar maire faschious, nor of feck : 
Zon faizardis durst not, for thair neck, 

Clim vp the Craig with vs. 
Fra we determinit to die, 
Or else to clime zon Cherrie trie, 

Thay baid about the bus. 
Thay ar conditionate like the Cat ; 

They wald not weit their feit, 
Bot zit, gif of the fruit we gat, 
Thay wald be fayne to eit : 
Thocht thay now, I say now, 

To hazard hes na hart ; 
Zit luck we, and pluck we 

The fruit, they wald haue part. 

XLVII. 
€< Bot fra we get our voyage wun, 
They sail not than the Cherrie cun, 

That wald not enterpryse." 
" Weill," quod Experience, " ze boist; 
Bot he that countis without his oist, 

Oft tymes he countis twyse. 
Ze sell the Beir skin on his back, 

Bot byde quhill ze it get ; 
Quhen ze haue done, its tyme to crak : 
Ze fische befoir the net. 

Quhat haist, sir, ze taist, sir, 
The Cherrie, or ze pow it : 
Bewar zit, ze ar zit, 

Mair talkatiue nor trow it." 



AND THE SLAE. 27 

XL VII I. 

<c Call Danger back againe," quod Skill, 
" To se quhat he can say to Will, 

We see him schod sa strait : 
We may nocht trou that ilk ane tellis." 
Quod Curage, f< We concludit ellis, 

He seruis not for our mait ; 
For I can tell you all perqueir, 

His counsail or he cum." 
Quod Will, u Quairto suld he cume heir ? 
He can not hald his tung ; 
He speikis ay, and seikis ay 
Delay of tyme be driftis ; 
He greuis vs, and deues vs, 
With sophistries and schiftis." 

XLIX. 

Quod Ressoun, " Quhy was he debard ? 
The tale is ill may not be hard ; 

Zit let vs heir him anis." 
Than Danger to declair began, 
How Hope and Curage tuik the man, 

And led him all thair lanis ; 
For they wald haif him vp the hill, 

But outher stop or stay ; 
And quha was welcomer nor Will, 
He wald be formaist ay : 
He culd do, and suld do, 

Quha euir wald or nocht. 
Sic speiding proceiding 
Vnlikelie was I thocht ; 



88 THE CHERRIE 

L. 

" Thairfoir I wischt them to be war, 
And rashlie not to ryn ouir far, 

Without sik gydis as ze." 
Quod Curage, " Friend, I heir zou faill, 
Remember better on zour taill, 

Ze sayd it culd not be : 
Besydis that, ze wald not consent 

That euir we suld clym." 
Quod Will, " For my pairt I repent, 
We saw them mair nor him ; 
For they ar the stayer 

Of vs, alsweill as he : 
I think now, they schrink now ; 
Go fordwart, let them be : 

LI. 

c ' Go, go, we do not heir bot guckis ; 
They say, that voyage nevir luckis, 

Quhar ilke ane hes ane vote." 
Quod Wisdome, grauelie, " Sir, I grant, 
We wer na war zour vote to want, 

Sum sentence heir I note : 
Suppose ze speak it bot be gesse, 

Sum fruit thairin I fynd ; 
Ze wald be fordward I confesse, 
And cummis oft tymis behynd. 
It may be, that thay be 

Dissauit that neuir doutit : 
Indeid, sir, that heid, sir, 
Hes meikill wit about it." 



AND THE SLAE. 29 

LII. 

Than wilfull Will began to rage, 
And sware he fand na thing in age, 

Bot anger, yre, and grudge : 
" And for my selfe," quod he, " I sweir 
To quyte all my companions heir, 

And they admit the Iudge. 
Experience is grown sa auld, 

That he begins to raue : 
The laif, but Curage, are sa cauld, 
Na hazarding thay haif ; 
For Danger, far stranger, 

Hes maid them, nor they war ; 
Ga frae them, we pray them, 
That nouther dow nor dar. 

LIII. 
u Quhy may nocht these thre leid this ane ? 
I led ane hunder, all my lane, 

But counsall of them all." 
ee I grant," quod Wisdom, (t ze haue led ; 
Bot I wald speir, how many sped, 

Or furderit but ane fall ? 
But vther few or nane, I trew : 

Experience can tell : 
He sayis, that man may wyte bot zow, 
The first tyme that he fell : 

He kennis now, quhais pennis now, 

Thow borrowit him to flee . 
His wounds zit, quhilk stoimds zit, 
He gat them than, throw thee." 



30 THE CHERRIE 

L1V. 

4i That/' quod Experience, <c is trew : 
Will flatterit him, when first he flew, 

And set him in an low : 
Will was his counsell and conuoy, 
To borrow, fra the blindit boy, 

Baith quiver, wingis, and bow : 
Quhairwith befoir he seyit to schuit, 

He neither zeild to zouth, 
Nor zit had neid of any fruit, 
To quench his deidly drouth ; 

Quhilk pynis him, and dwynis him 

To deid, he wattis not how : 
Gif Will than, did ill than, 
Himselfe remembers now. 

LV. 

" For I, Experience, was thair, 
Lyke as I vse to be all quhair, 

Quhat tyme he wytit Will, 
To be maist cause of his mischeif ; 
For I myself can be ane preif, 

And witnes thairintill. 
Thair is na boundis, bot I haif bene, 

Nor hidlingis fra me hid ; 
Nor secret thingis, bot I haif sene, 
That he or onie did : 

Thairfoir now, no moir now, 
Lat him think to conceild ; 
For quhy now, euin I now 
Am detbound to reveild." 



AND THE SLAE. 31 

LVI. 

u My custome is for to declair 
The treuth, and neuir eik nor pair, 

For onie man, ane jote : 
Gif wilfull Will delytis in leis, 
Exampill in thy self thou seis, 
How he can turne his cote, 
And with his langage wald alluir 

Thee zit to brek thy bainis : 
Sura tyme thou knawis, gif he was suir : 
Thou vsd his counsell aims ; 
Quha wald zit, be bald zit 

To wrak thee, wer not we. 
Think on now, of zon now," 
Quod Wisdome than to me. 

LVII. 
" Weill/' quod Experience, " gif that he 
Submittis himself to zow and me, 

I wait quhat I suld say : 
Our gude advyse he sail nocht want, 
Provyding alwayis, gif he grant 

To put zon Will away, 
And banische baith him and Dispair, 

That all gude purpose spillis ; 
Sa he will melle with them na mair, 
Lat them twa flyte thair fillis : 
Sic coissing, but loissing, 

All honest men may vse." 
€i That change now, wer strange now," 
Quod Ressoun, " to refuse." 



32 THE CHERRIE 

LVIII. 

Quod Will, " Fy on him, when he flew, 
That poud not Cherries then, anew 

For to have staid his sturt." 
Quod Reason, " Thocht he bear the blame, 
He nowther saw, nor neidet them, 

Till he himself had hurt. 
First quhen he mistert not, he micht, 

He neids, and may not now : 
Thy Foly, quhen he had his flicht, 
Empashed him to pow* 
Baith he now, and we now 

Persaive thy purpose plain, 
To turn him, and burn him, 
And blaw on him again." 

LIX. 

z Quod Skill, " Quhy suld we langer stry ve ? 
Far better late, than never thry ve ; 

Cum let us help him zit : 
Tint tyme we may not get again, 
We wast but present tyme, in vain ;"— 

" Beware with that," quod Wit : 
u Speik on, Experience, lets see ; 

We think, ze hald ze durn." 
cc Of by ganes I haif hard," quod he ; 
I knaw not things to cum." 
Quod Reason, " The season 

With slowthing slyds away ; 
First, tak him, and mak him 
A man, gif that ze may." 
10 



AND THE SLAE. 33 

LX. 

Quod Will, *■' Gif he be not a man, 
I pray zou, sirs, quhat is he than ? 

He lukes lyk ane at leist." 
Quod Reason, " Gif he follow thee, 
And mynd not to remain with me, 

Nocht but a brutal beist. 
A man in schape doth not consist, 

For all zour taunting tales ; 
Thairfor, Sir Will, I wald ze wist 
Zour metaphysick fails. 
Gae leir zit, a zeir zit, 

Zour logick at the schulis, 
Sum day then, ze may then 
Pass master with the mulis." 

LXI. 
Quod Will, t€ I marvell quhat ze mein ; 
Suld not I trow my ain twa een, 

For all zour logick schulis : 
If I did not, I war not wyse." 
Quod Reason, " I haif tald zou thryse, 

Nane ferlies mair than fulis ; 
Thair be mae sences than the sicht ; 

Quhilk ze owre-hale for haste, 
To wit, gif ze remember richt, 

Smell, Heiring, Touch, and Taste. 
All quick things haif sic things, 
I mein baith Man and Beist, 
By kynd then, we fynd then, 
Few laks them in the leist. 
c 



34 THE CHERRIE 

LXII. 

" Sae, be that consequens of thyne, 
Or syllogism said lyke a Swyne, 

A Cow may teach thee lair. 
Thou uses only but thyne eies, — 
Scho touches, tastes, smells, heirs, and seis ; 

Quhilk matches thee, and mair. 
But since to triumph ze intend, 

As presently appeirs, 
Sir, for your clergie to be kend, 
Tak ze twa Asses eirs. 
Nae myter perfyter 

Gat Midas, for his meid ; 
That hude, sir, is gude, sir, 
To hap zour brain-sick heid." 

LXIII. 
a Ze haif nae feil for to defyne, 
Thoch ze haif cunning to declyne 

A man to be a mule : 
With little wark zit, ze may vowd 
To grow a galant horse, and gude, 

To ryde thairon at Zule. 
But to our ground quhair we began, — 

For all zour gustless jests, 
I must be Master to the Man, 
But thou to brutal 1 beists ; 
Sae we twae maun be twae, 

To cause baith kynds be knawn ; 
Keip thyne then, frae myne then, 
And ilk ane use thair awin." 



AND THE SLAE. 35 

LXIV. 

Then Will, as angrie as an ape, 

Ran ramping, sweiring, rude and rape, 

Saw he non other schift ; 
He wald not want an inch of will, 
Quhither it did him gude or ill, 

For thirty of his thrift : 
He wald be formoist in the field, 

And maister, gif he micht ; 
Yea, he suld rather die than zield, 
Though Reason had the richt, 
" Sail he now mak me now 

His subject or his slaif ? 
Na, rather my father 

Sail quick gang to his graif." 

LXV. 

" I hecht him, quhyle my heart is heal, 
To perisch first, or he prevail, 

Cum after quhat so may/' 
Quod Reason, cc Dout ze not, indeed, 
Ze hit the nail upon the heid ; 

It sail be as ze say. 
Suppose ze spur for to aspyre, 

Zour brydle wants a bit ; 
That meir may leif zou in the myre, 
As sicker as ze sit. 

Zour sentence, repentance 
Sail learn you, I believe, 
And anger zou langer, 

Quhen ze that pratick prieve 



36 THE CHERltlE 

LXVI. 

" As ze haif dyted zour decreit, 
Zour prophesie to be complete, 

Perhaps and to zour pains ; 
It has bein said, and may be sae, 
* A wilful man wants nevir wae/ 

Thocht he gets little gains. 
But sen ze think it easy thing, 

To mount aboif the mune, 
Of zour awin fidle tak a spring, 
And daunce quhen ze haif done. 
If than, sir, the man, sir, 

Lykes of zour mirth, he may ; 
But speir first, and heir first, 
Quhat he himsell wall say." 

LXVII. 
Than all togidder they began 
To say, " Cum on, thou martyrit man, 

And do as we deuyse." 
Abasd, ane bonie quhyle I baid, 
And musd, or I my answere maid ; 

I turnd me, ainis or twyse, 
Behalding euerie ane about : 

I feird to speik in haist. 
Sum seimd assurd, sum dred for doubt : 
Will ran reid-wood almaist ; 
With wringing and thringing, 

His hands on vther dang : 
Dispair to, for cair to, 
Wald needs himselfe go hang. 



AND THE SLAE. 37 

LXVIII. 

Quhilk quhen Experience persauit, 
Quod he ' ' Remember gif we rauit, 

As Will alledgit, of laite, 
Quhen as he sware, na thing he saw 
In age, bot anger, slack and slaw, 

And cankerit of consait : 
Ze culd not luck as he alledgit, 

That all opinions sperit. 
He was sa frak, and fyerie edgit, 
He thocht vs four bot feirit. 
Quha pansis on chancis," 

Quod he, <e na worschip winnis ; 
Ay some best, sail come best, 

That hap weill, rak weill rinnis." 

LXIX. 

" Zit," quod Experience, u behauld, 
For all the tales that he has tauld, 

How he himselfe behaues. 
Because Dispaire could come na speid, 
Lo quhaire he hangs, all bot the heid, 

And in ane withie waues. 
Gif zon be suir, ains thou may se, 
To men that with them mellis ; 
Gif thay had hurt or helpit the, 
Consider be thame selfis t 
Than chuse the, to vse the 

Be vs, or sik as zone : 
Say sone now, haue done now 5 
Mak outher aflfor on." 



38 THE CHERRIE 

LXX. 

" Persaues thou not, quhair fra proceids 
The frantik fantasies, that feids 

Thy furious flaming fyre ? 
Quhilk dois thy bailfull breist combuir, 
That nane bot we/' quod thay, u can cuir, 

Or knawis quhat dois requyre. 
The persing passion of thy spreit, 

That wasts thy vitall breath, 
Hes holit thy heauie hart with heit : 
Desyre drawes on thy death. 
Thy punsis renuncis 

All kynd of quiet rest ; 
That fever hes ever 

Thy person sa opprest." 

LXXI. 

Quod tha)^ u Were thou acquaint with Skill, 
He knawis quhat humours dois thee ill, 

Quhair thou thy cares contrakis ; 
He knawis the ground of all thy griefe, 
And recept to, for thy releife ; 

All medicines he makis." 
" Cum on," quod Skill, " content am I, 

To put my helping hand ; 

Provyding alwayis, he apply 

To counsall and command, 

Quhill we than," quod he than, 

** Ar myndit to remaine, 
Gif place now, in cace now, 
Thou get vs not againe." 






AND THE SLAE. 39 

LXXII. 

" Assuire thy selfe, gif that we sched, 
Thou sail not get thy purpose sped : 

Tak tent, we haif thee tald. 
Haif done, and dryue nocht aff the day ; 
The man that will nocht, quhen he may, 

He sail not quhen he wald. 
Quhat wald thou do, I wald we wist : 

Except, or giue us oure." 
Quod he, (C I think me mair than blist, 
To fynde sick famous foure 
Besyde me, to guyde me 

Now quhen I haif to doe ; 
Considering the swidering, 
Ze fand me first into ; ,a 

LXXIII. 

" Quhen Courage crau'd ane stomack stout, 
And Danger draue me into dout, 

With his companione Dreid. 
Quhylis Will wald vp aboue the aire ; 
Quhylis I was dround into dispaire ; 

Quhylis Hope held vp my heid* 
So pithie resounis and replyis, 
On euery side, they shewe, 
That I, quha was not verie wyis, 
Thocht all thair tales was trew. 
Sa mony and bony, 

All problemis they propond^ 
Baith quicklie and liklie, 
I marveld mekill ond» 



40 THE CIIERHTE 

LXXIV. 

Zit Hope and Curage wan the field, 
Thocht Dreid and Danger nevir zeild, 

Bot fled to fynde refuge : 
Swa, fra ze fowr met, they were fayne, 
Because ze cauld them back againe, 

And glad that ze war judge ; 
For thay were fugitive befoir, 
Now thay are frank and fre 
To speak and stand na aw na moir." 
Quod Reasoun, " Swa suld be. 
Oft tymes now, but crymes now, 

Bot evin be force, it falls, 
The Strang ay with wrang ay 
Puttis waiker to the walls ;" 

LXXV. 

u Quhilk is a fault, thou maun confesse : 
Strenth is not ordaynd till oppresse 

With rigour by the richt, 
Bot, be the contrair, to sustein 
The waik anes that oreburdenit bein, 

Als meikill as thay micht. 
Sa Hope and Curage did," quod I, 

et Experimented lyke, 
Schaw skild and pithie resouns, quhy 
That Danger lap the dyke." 

Quod Dreid, t( Sir, tak heid, sir ; 
Lang speiking part man spil ; 
Insist not, ze wist not, 
We went agains our will. 



A XI) THE SLAE. 41 

LXXVI. 

" With Curage ze were sa content, 
Ze nevir socht our small consent ; 

Of vs ze stand na aw. 
Thair logique ressouns ze allowit, 
Ze ware determined to trow it; 

Alledgence past for law. 
For all the proverbs they pervsit, 
Ze thocht them skantly skild ; 
Our ressouns had bene als weill rusit, 
Had ze bene als weill wild 
Till our side as zour side, 
Sa trewlie is it termd : 
We se now in thee now 
Affection dois affermd." 

LXXVIL 

Experience then smyrkling smyld, — 
" We ar na barnis to be begyld/' 
Quod he, and schuik his heid; 
M For authours quha alledgis vs, 
They may not go about the bus 

For all thair deadly feid : 
For we are equall for ze all ; 

Nae person we respect ; 
We haif bene sae, ar zit, and sail 
Be found sae in effect. 
Gif we wer as ze wer, 

We had cumd unrequyrd ; 
But we now, ze see now, 
Do naithing undesyrd. 



42 THE ch'errie 

LXXVIII. 

« Tbair is a sentence said be sum, 
€ Let nane uncalled to counsell cum^ 

That welcum weins to be ; J 
Zea, I haif hard another zit, 
c Quha cum uncallt, unservd suld sit ;' 

Perhaps, sir, sae may ze." 
tc Gudeman, gramercy for zour geek," 

Quod Hope, and lawly lowts ; 
" Gif ze were sent for, we suspect, 
Because the Doctour douts. 
Your zeirs now appeir now 
With wisdom to be vext, 
Rejoicing in glossing, 

Till ze haif tint zour text/* 

LXXIX. 

" Quhair ze wer sent for, let us se ; 
Quha wald be welcomer than we ? 

Pruve that, and we are payd." 
" Weill," quod Experience, " beware ; 
Ze ken not in quhat case ze are ; 

Zour tung has zou betrayd. 
The man may ablens tyne a stot, 
That cannot count his kinsch ; 
In your awin bow ze are owre-schot, 
Be mair than half ane inch. 
Quha wats, sir, if that, sir, 

Be sour, quhilk seimeth sweit ? 
I feir now ze heir now 
A dangerous decreit. 



AXD THE SLAE. 43 

LXXX. 

u Sir, by that sentence ze haif sayd, 
I pledge, or all the play be playd, 

That some will lose a laike. 
Sen ze but put for me to pruve 
Sic heids as help for my behuve, 

Zour warrand is but waik : 
Speir at the man zour self, and se, 

Suppose ye stryve for state, 
Gif he regarded not how he 
Had learned my lesson late, 
And granted he wanted 

Baith Reason, Wit, and Skill ; 
Compleining and meining 
Our absence did him ill." 

LXXXL 

" Confront him furder face to face, 
Gif zit he rews his rackles race, 

Perhaps and ze sail heir ; 
For ay since Adam and since Eve, 
Quha first thy leisings did believe, 

I said thy doctrine deir. 
Quhat has bein done, even to this day, 

I keip in mynd allmaist : 
Ze promise furder than ze pay, 
Sir, Hope, for all zour haist ; 
Promitting unwitting, 

Zour hechts zou neuir huiked ; 
I schaw zou, I knaw zou ; 
Zour byganes I haif buiked," 



44 THE CHERRIE 

LXXXII. 

et I could, in case a count wer craivt, 
Schaw thousands, thousands thou desaivt, 

Quhair thou was trew to ane ; 
And, by the contrair, I may vaunt 
Quhilk thou maun, thocht it greive thee, grant, 

I trumpit neuir a man, 
But trewly tald the naikit truth 
To men that mell'd with me, 
For nowther rigour nor for reuth, 
But only laith to lie. 
To sum zit to cum zit, 

Thy suckour will be slicht ; 
Quhilk I then maun try then, 
And register it richt." 

LXXXIIL 

" Ha, ha !" quod Hope, and loudlie leuch, 
" Ze are but a prentise at the pleuch ; 

Experience ye prieve. 
Suppose all byganes as ze spak, 
Ze are nae prophet worth a plak, 

Nor I bund to believe. 
Ze suld not say, sir, till ze se ; 

But, quhen ze se it, say/ 5 
u Zit," quod Experience, " at thee 
Mak mony mints I may, 

By signs now, and things now, 

Quhilk ay befoir me beirs, 
Expressing, by guessing, 
The perril that appeirs." 






AND THE SLAE. 45 

LXXXIV. 

Then Hope replyd, and that with pith, 
And wyselie weyd his words thairwith 

Sententiouslie and short ; 
Quod he, " I am the anchor grip 
That saifs the sailours and thair ship 

Frae perril, to thair port." 
Quod he, f? Aft times the anchor di-yves," 

As we haif fund befoir, 
And loses mony thousand ly ves, 
By shipwrack on the shore. 
Zour grips aft but slips aft, 

Quhen men haif maist to do, 
Syne leivs them, and reivs them 
Of thy companzions to." 

LXXXV. 

" Thou leifs them not thy self alane, 
But to thair grief quhen thou art gane 

Gars courage quhat them als." 
Quod Hope, " I wald ze understude, 
I grip fast, gif the grund be gude, 

And fleit quhair it is false. 
Ther suld nae fault with me be fund, 

Nor I accused at all : 
Wyte sic as suld haif plumd the grund 
Befoir the anchor fall. 
Their leid ay, at neid ay, 

Micht warn them, if they wald ; 
Gif they thair wald stay thair, 
Or haif gude anchor hald." 



46 THE CHERRIE 

LXXXVL 

" Gif ze reid richt, it was not I, 
But only Ignorance, quhairby 

Thair carvells all were cloven. 
I am not for a trumper tane :" — 
" All/' quod Experience, " is ane ; 

I haif my process proven, — 
To wit, that we wer cald, ilk ane, 

To cum before we came ; 
That now objection ze haif nane, 
Z our self may say the same. 
Ze are now, owre far now, 
Cum forward, for to flie ; 
Persave then, ze haif then, 
The warst end of the trie." 

LXXXVII. 

Quhen Hope was gaw'd into the quick, 
Quod Courage, kicking at the prick, 

" We let ze weil to wit ; 
Mak he zou welcomer than we, 
Then byganes, byganes, farewell he, 

Except he seik us zit. 
He understands his awn estate ; 

Let him his chiftains chuse : 
But zit his battill will be blate, 
Gif he our forss refuse. 
Refuse us, to chuse us, 

Our counsell is, he clim ; 
But stay he, or stray he, 
We haif nae help for him." 



AND THE SLAE. 47 

LXXXVIII. 
u Except the Cherrie be his chose, 
Be ze his friends, we are his foes ; 

His doings we dispyte. 
Gif we persave him settled sae, 
To satisfie him with the Slae, 

His companie we quyte." 
Then Dreid and Danger grew full glad, 

And wont that they had won ; 
They thocht all seild that they had said, 
Sen they had first begun. 

They thocht then, they moucht then 

Without a party pleid ; 
But zet thair, with Wit thair, 

They wer dung doun with speid. 

LXXXIX. 

ce Sirs, — Dreid and Danger," then quod Wit, 
ce Ze did zour sells to me submit ; 

Experience can proife." 
" That," quod Experience, " I past : 
Thair awin confessions make them fast ; 

They may nae mair remoife. 
For, gif I richt remember me, 

This maxime then they made, 
To wit, — The man with wit sould wey 
Quhat philosophs haif said. 
Quhilk sentance repentance 
Forbad hira deir to buy ; 
They knew th?n how trew then, 
And pressd not to reply." 



48 THE CHEItRIE 

xc. 

Thocht he dang Dreid and Danger doun, 
Zit Courage could not be owrecum, 

Hope hecht him sic a hyre ; 
He thocht himself how sone he saw 
His enemies were laid sae law, 

It was nae tyme to tyre. 
He hit the yron quhyle it was het, 

In case it sould grow cauld ; 
For he esteem/t his faes defate, 
Quhen anes he fand them fald. 
" Thoch we now/' quod he now, 
" Haif been sae frie and frank, 
Unsocht zit, he mocht zit 

For kyndness cund us thank." 

XCI. 

" Suppose it sae as thou hast said, 
That unrequir'd we proffert aid, 

At leist that came of luve. 
Experience, ze start owre sone, 
Ze naething dow*till all be done, 

And then perhaps ze pruve 
Mair plain than pleasant to perchance : 

Sum tell that have you tryt ; 
As fast as ze zour sell advance, 
Ze cannot weil denyt. 

Abyde then your tyde then, 
And wait upon the wind ; 
Ze knaw, sir, ze aw, sir, 
To hald ze ay behind/' 
10 



AND THE SLAE. 49 

XCII. 

u Quhen ze haif done sum duchtie deids, 
Syne ze suld se how all succeids, 

To wryt them as they wer." 
" Friend, huly ; hast not half sae fast, 
Leist," quod Experience, " at last 

Ze buy my doctrine deir. 
Hope puts that hast into zour heid, 
Quhilk boy Is zour barmy brain ; 
Howbeit, fulis hast cums huly speid ; 
Fair hechts will mak fulis fain. 
Sic smyling, begyling, 

Bids feir not any freits ; 
Zit I now deny now 

That all is gold that gleits." 

XCIIL 

" Suppose not silver all that shynes : 
Aftymes a ten tl ess merchand tynes, 

For bying geir begess ; 
For all the vantage and the winning 
Gude buyers get at the beginning/' 
Quod Courage, " Nocht the less, 
Quhyls as gude merchants tynes as wins, 

Gif auld mens tales be trew. 
Suppose the pack cum to the pins, 
Quha can his chance eschew ? 
Then, gude sir, conclude, sir, 

Gude buyers haif done baith ; 
Advance then, tak chance then, 
As sundrie gude ships hath." 



50 THE CHERHIE 

XCIV. 

" Qttha wist quhat wald be cheip or deir, 
Sould neid to traffique but a zeir, 

Gif things to cum were kend. 
Suppose all bygane things be plain, 
Zour prophesie is but prophane ; 

Ze had best behald the end. 
Ze wald accuse me of a cryme, 

Almaist befoir we met ; 
Torment zou not befoir the tyme, 
Since dolour pays nae det. 
Quhats bypast, that I past, 

Ze wot gif it was weil : 
To cum zit, by dume zit, 
Confess ze haif nae feil." 

xcv. 

H Zit," quod Experience, u quhat then ; 
Quha may be meitest for the man, 

Let us his answer haif." 
Quhen they submitted them to me, 
To Reason I was fain to flie, 

His counsell for to craif. 
Quod he, " Since ze zoursells submit 

To do as I decreit, 
I sail advyse with Skill and Wit, 
Quhat they think may be meit." 
They cryd then, u We byde then. 

At Reason for refuge ; 
Allow him, and trow him, 
As governour and jiige." 



AND THE SLAE. 51 

XGVI. 

Then said they all, with ane consent, 
" Quhat he concludes, we are content 

His bidding to obey. 
He hath authoritie to use ; 
Then tak his choice quhora he will chuse, 

And langer not delay." 
Then Reason raise and was rejoysd : 

Quod he, " Myne hearts, cum hidder ; 
I hope this pley may be composd, 
That we may gang togidder. 
To all now r I sail now 

His proper place assign ; 
That they heir sail say heir, 
They think nane uther thing." 

XCVII. 
w Come on," quod he, " companzion, Skill; 
Ze understand baith gude and ill, 

In physic ze are fyne ; 
Be mediciner to the man, 
And schaw sic cunning as ze can, 

To put him out of pyne. 
First gaird the grund of all his grief, 

Quhat sicknes ze suspect ; 
Syne hike quhat laiks for his relief, 
Or furder he infeck. 

Comfort him, exhort him, 

Give him zour gude advyce ; 
And panse not, nor skance not, 
The perril nor the pryce. 



52 THE CHERRIE 

XCVIII. 

" Thoch it be cummersom, quhat reck ? 
Find out the cause by the effect, 

And working of his veins. 
Zit quhyle we grip it to the grand, 
Se first quhat fashion may be fund 

To pacifie his pains. 
Do quhat ze dow to haif him haile, 

And for that purpose preise ; 
Cut aff the cause, the effect maun fail, 
Sae all his sorrows ceise. 
His fever sail nevir 

Frae thenceforth haif a forss ; 
Then urge him to purge him, 
He will not wax the warse." 

XCIX. 

Quoth Skill, ir His sences are sae sick, 
I knaw na liquor worth a leik 

To quench his deidlie drouth ; 
Except the Cherrie help his heit, 
Quhais sappy slokning, sharp and sweit, 

Micht melt into his mouth, 
And his melanfcholie remuve, 

To mitigate his mynd. 
Nane hailsomer for his behuve, 
Nor of mair cooling kynd ; 
Nae nectar directar 

Could all the Gods him give, 
Nor send him, to mend him, 
Nane lyke it, I believe/' 






AND THE SLAB. 53 

C. 

" For drouth decays as it digests." 

" Quhy, then," quod Reason, " naithing rests, 

But how it may be had ?" 
" Maist trew," quod Skill, " that is the scope, 
Zit we maun haif sum help of Hope." 

Quod Danger, " I am red, 
His hastyness bred us mishap, 
Quhen he is highlie horst ; 
I wiss we lukit, or we lap." 

Quod Wit, " That wer not warst. 
I mein now, convein now 

The counsell ane and all ; 
Begin then, call in then :" — 
Quod Reason, w Sae I sail." 

CI. 

Then Reason raise with gesture grave, 
Belyve conveining all the lave, 

To heir quhat they wald say ; 
With silver scepter in his hand, 
As chiftain chosen to command, 

And they bent to obey. 
He paused long befoir he spake, 

, And in a studie stude ; 
Syne he began and silenss brak : 
ce Cum on," quod he, " conclude 
Quhat way now we may now 

Zon Cherrie cum to catch ; 
Speik out, sirs, about, sirs ; 
Haif done,— let us dispatch." 



54 THE CHERRIE 

CII. 

Quoth Courage, " Skurge him first that skars; 
Much musing memorie but mars ; 

I tell zou myne intent." 
Quod Wit, " Quha will not partlie panse 
In perils, perishes perchanse, 
Owre rackles may repent." 
,c Then/' quod Experience, and spak, 

" Sir, I have sein them baith, 
In braidieness and lye aback, 
Escape and cum to skaith. 
But quhat now of that now ? 
Sturt follows all extreams ; 
Retain then the mein then, 
The surest way it semis." 

CIIL 
" Quhair sum has furdered, sum has faild ; 
Quhair part has perisht, part prevaild ; 

Alyke all cannot luck. 
Then owther venture, with the ane, 
Or, with the uther, let alane, 

The Cherrie for to pluck/' 
Quod Hope, cc For feir folk maun not fash/' 

Quod Danger, " Let not licht." 
Quod Wit, * Be nowther rude nor rash," 
Quod Reason, u Ze haif richt." 
The rest then thocht best then, 

Quhen Reason said it sae, 
That, roundlie and soundlie, 
They suld togidder gae. 



AND THE SLAE. 55 

CIV. 

To get the Cherrie in all haste, 
As for my saftie serving maist ; 
Tho Dreid and Danger feird 
The perril of that irksom way, 
Lest that thairby I sould decay, 
Quha then sae weak appeird. 
Zit Hope and Courage hard besyde, 

Quha with them wont contend, 
Did tak in hand us all to gyde 
Unto our journeys end ; 
Implaidging and waidging, 

Baith twa thair lyves for myne, 
Provyding the gyding 

To them were granted syne. 

CV. 

Then Dreid and Danger did appeal, 
Alledging it could neir be weil, 

Nor zit wald they agrie ; 
But said, they sould sound thair retreit, 
Because they thocht them nae ways meit 

Conducters unto me, 
Nor to no man in myne estate, 
With sickness sair opprest ; 
For they tuke ay the neirest gate, 
Omitting of the best. 

Thair neirest perquierest 

Is always to them baith, 
Quhair they, sir, may say, sir, 

" Quhat recks them of zour skaith." 



56 THE CHERRIE 

CVI. 
u But as for us twa, now we sweir 
Be Him, befoir we maun appeir, 

Our full intent is now 
To haif ze hale, and always was, 
That purpose for to bring to pass ; 

Sae is not thairs, I trow." 
Then Hope and Courage did attest 

The Gods, of baith these parts, 
Gif they wrocht not all for the best 
Of me, with upricht hearts. 
Our Chiftain then, liftan 

His scepter, did enjoyn 
Nae moir thair uproir thair ; 
And sae there stryfe was done :- 

CVII. 

Rebuiking Dreid and Danger sair, 
Suppose they meint weil evirmair 

To me, as they had sworn ; 
Because thair nibours they abusit, 
In swa far as they had accusit 
Them, as ze hard beforn. 
" Did he not els," quod he, u consent 

The Cherrie for to pow ?" 
Quod Danger, " We are weil content ; 
But zit, the manner how ? 
We sail now, even all now, 

Get this man with us thair ; 
It rests then, ands best then, 
Zour counsell to declair." 



AND THE SLAE. 57 

CVIIL 

" Weil said/' quod Hope and Courage, " now, 
We thairto will accord with zou, 

And sail abyde by them ; 
Lyk as befoir we did submit, 
Sae we repeit the samyn zit : 
We mynd not to reclaime. 
Quhome they sail chuse to gyde the way, 

We sail them follow straight ; 
And furder this man, quhat we may, 
Because we haif sae hecht ; 
Pr omitting, bot flitting, 

To do the thing we can -» 

To pleise baith and eise baith 
This silly sickly man." 

CIX. 

Quhen Reason heard this, " Then/' quod he, 
" I se zour chiefest stay to be, 

That we haif namd nae gyde. 
The worthy counsell hath, therfoir, 
Thocht gude that Wit suld gae befoir, 

For perrills to provyde." 
Quod Wit, " There is but ane of three 

Quhilk I sail to ze schaw, 
Quhairof the first twa cannot be, 
For ony thing I knaw. 
The way heir sae stay heir 
Is, that we cannot clim 
Evin owre now, we four now ; 
That will be hard for him, 



58 THE CHERRIE 

ex. 

cc The next, gif we gae doun about 
Quhyle that this bend of craigs rin out, 

The streim is thair sae stark, 
And also passeth waiding deip, 
And braider far than we dow leip, 

It suld be ydle wark. 
It grows ay braider to the sea, 

Sen owre the lin it came ; 
The rinning deid dois signifie 
The deipness of the same. 
I leive now to deive now, 

How that it swiftly slyd9, 
As sleiping and creiping ; 
But nature sae provyds. " 

CXI. 
" Our way then lyes about the lin, 
Quhairby, I warrand, we sail win. 

It is sae straight and plain ; 
The watter allso is sae schald, 
We sail it pass, evin as we wald, 

With plesour and bot pain. 
For as we se a mischeif grow 

Aft of a feckless thing ; 
Sae lykways dois this river flow 
Forth of a prettie spring ; 
Quhois throt, sir, I wot, sir, 

Ze may stap with zour neive ; 
As you, sir, I trow, sir, 
Experience, can preive." 



AND THE SLAE. 59 

CXII. 
" That," quod Experience, " I can, 
And all ze said sen ze began, 

I ken to be a truth." 
Quod Skill, " The samyn I apruve. " 
Quod Reason, " Then let us remuve, 

And sleip nae mair in sleuth. 
Wit and Experience/' quod he, 

u Sail gae befoir a pace ; 
The man sail cum, with Skill and me, 
Into the second place. 

Attowre now, zou four now 

Sail cum into a band, 
Proceiding and leiding 
Ilk uther by the hand." 

CXIII. 

As Reason ordert, all obeyd ; 

Nane was owre rash, nane was affray d, 

Our counsell was sae wyse : 
As of our journey Wit did note, 
We fand it trew in ilka jot, — 

God bliss the enterpryse ! 
For even as we came to the tree, 

Quhilk, as ze heard me tell, 
Could not be clum, thair suddenlie 
The fruit for rypeness fell. 
Quhilk haisting and taisting, 

I fand myself relievd 
Of cairs all and sairs all 

That mynd and body grievd. 



CO THE CHERRIE 

CXIV. 

Praise be to God, my Lord, thairfoir, 
Quha did myne helth to me restoir, 

Being sae lang tyme pynd ; 
And blessed be his haly name, 
Quha did frae deith to lyfe reclaim 

Me, quha was sae unkynd. 
All nations allso magnifie 

This evirliving Lord ; 
Lat me with zou, and zou with me, 
To laud him ay accord 
Quhois luve ay we pruve ay 

To us abune all things ; 
And kiss him and bliss him 
Quhois glore eternall rings. 



SONNETS. 



\\The following Sonnets are given from the Drum* 
mond Manuscript The first Sonnet has usually been 
printed along with the Cherrie and the Slae ; the one, 
" Can Goldin Tytan/' addressed to King James, in 
1584, was prefixed to his Mcije sties cc Essay es of a Pren* 
tice" S$c, printed at Edinburgh in that year, and a few 
others, occur in Sibbald's Chronicle of Scottish Poetry* 
The rest are printed for the first time.^ 



SONNETS. 



i. 

Svpreme Essence, beginning, vnbegun, 
Ay Trinall ane,— ane vndevydit three, 
Eternall Worde, that victorie hes wun 
Ouir Death, ouir Hell, triumphand on the Trie, 

Foirknawledge, Wisdome, and AU-seand Ee, 
Iehovah, Alpha and Omega, All, 
Lyke vnto none, nor none lyk vnto thee, 
Vnmuifit, quha muifis the rounds about the Ball, 

Conteiner vnconteind ; is, was, and sail,— 
Be sempiternall, mercifull, and just. 
Creator vncreated, now I call. 
Teich me thy trueth, since into thee I trust, 

Increase, confirme, and kendill from aboue 

My fauth, my hope, but, by the leave, my loue. 



64 SONNETS. 

II. 

High Architecture vondrous-vautit-rounds ; 
Huge-host of Hevin, in restles-rolling spheers ; 
Firme-fixt polis, whilk all the axtrie beirs ; 
Concordant-discords, suete harmonious sounds ; 

Boud-Zodiak, circle-belting- Phoebus bounds ; 
Celestiall signis, of moneths making zeers ; 
Bright Titan, to the Topiks that reteirs, 
Quhais fyrie flammis all chaos-face confounds ; 

Just balanc'd ball, amidst the hevins that hings ; 
All creaturs that Natur creat can, 
To serve the vse of most vnthankfull man ;— 
Admire zour Maker, only King of Kings. 

Prais him, O man ! his mervels that remarks, 

Quhais mercyis far exceids his wondrous warks. 

III. 

Iniquitie on eirth is so increst, 
All flesh bot feu with falset is defyld, 
Givin ou'r of God, with gredynes beguyld ; 
So that the puir, but pitie, ar opprest. 

God in his justice dou na mair digest 
Syk sinfull suyn with symonie defyld, 
But must revenge, thair vyces ar so vyld, 
And pour doun plagues of famin, suord, and pest. 

Aryse, O Lord, delyuer from the lave 
Thy faithfull flock, befor that it infect. 
Thou sees hou Satan sharps for to dissave, 
If it were able, euen thyn auin Elect. 

Sen Conscience, Love, and Cheritie all laiks, 

Lord, short the season, for the Chosen's saiks. 
4 



SONNETS, 



TO M. DAUID DRUMMOND. 



As curious Dido TEnee did demand, 

To vnderstand vha wrakt his toun, and hou 
Him self got throu and come to Lybia land ; 
To vhom fra hand his body he did bou : 

With bendit brou, and tuinkling teirs, I trou, 
He said, if thou, O Quene, wald knau the cace 
Of Troy, alace ! it garis my body grou, 
To tell it nou, so far to our disgrace ; 

Hou, in short space, that som tym peirles place, 
Before my face, in furious flammis did burne ; 
Compeld to murne, and than to tak the chace, 
I ran this race, bot nevir to returne : — 

Sa thou lyk Dido, Maister Dauid Drummond 

Hes me to ansueir, by thy Sonet, summond. 

II. 

The hevinly furie that inspyrd my spreit, 

Quhen sacred beughis warwont my brouis to bind, 
With frostis of fashrie frozen is that heet ; 
My garland grene is withrit with the wind. 

Ze knau Occasio hes no hair behind ; 

The bravest spreits hes tryde it treu, I trou ; 

The long forspoken proverb true I find, 

" No man is man," and man is no thing nou. 

The Cuccou flees befor the Turtle dou ; 
The pratling Pyet matchis with the Musis, 
Pan with Apollo playis, I wot not hou, 
The Attircops Minerva's office vsis. 

These be the grievis that garris Montgomry gr[udge] 

That My das, not Mecenas, is our judge. 

E 



(36 SONNETS. 

TO M. P- GALLOWAY. 

Sound, Gallovay, the trompet of the Lord ; 
The blissit brethren sail obey thy blast ; 
Then thunder out the thretnings of the word 
Aganst the wicked that auay ar cast. 

Pray that the faithfull in the fight stand fast. 
Suppose the Divill the wickeds hairts obdure^ 
Zit perseveir, as in thy preichins past, 
For to discharge thy conscience and cure. 

Quhat Justice sauld ! vhat pilling of the pure ! 
Quhat bluidy murthers ar for gold forgivin ! 
God is not sleipand, thoght he tholde, be sure 
Cry out, and he shall heir the from the Heuin ; 

And wish the king, his court, and counsell clenge, 

Or then the Lord will, in his wrath, revenge. 

TO HIS MAJESTIE. 

Shir, clenge zour cuntrie of thir cruell crymis, 

Adultries, witchcraftis, incests, sakeles bluid ; 

Delay not, bot as David did, betymis 

Zour company of such men soon secluid. 
Out with the wicked ; — garde zou with the gude ; 

Of mercy and of judgment sey to sing. 

Quhen ze suld stryk, I wald ze vnderstude ; 

Quhen ze suld spair, I wish ze wer bening. 
Chuse godly counsel, leirne to be a King. 

Beir not thir burthenis longer on zour bak. 

Jumpe not with justice, for no kynd of thing. 

To just complantis gar gude attendance tak, 
Thir bluidy sarks cryis alwayis in zour eiris, 
Prevent the plague that presently appeirs. 



SONNETS. 67 

IN PRAISE OF HIS MAJESTIE. 

Support me. Sacred Sisters, for to sing 
His praise, vhilk passis the Antartik Pole, 
And fand the futsteppe of the fleing fole, 
And from Parnassus spyd the Pegase spring. 

The hundreth saxt, by lyne, vnconqueist King, 
Quhais knichtlie curage, kindling lyk a cole, 
Maks couarts quaik, and hyde thame in a hole, 
His brand all Brytan to obey sail bring. 

Come, troup of Tuinis, about his temple tuyn 
Zour laurell leivis with palmis perfytly plet, 
Wpon his heid Caesarean to sett. 
Immortalize ane nobler nor the Nyne, — 

A martiall Monarch, with Minerva's spreit, 

That Prince vhilk sail the prophesie compQleit.] 

IN PRAISE OF M. J. M., CHANCELLER. 

Of Mars, Minerva, Mercure, and the Musis, 
The curage, cunning, eloquence, and vain 
Maks maikles Maitland mirrour to remane, 
As instrument vhilk these for honour vsis, 

Quhais fourfald force with furie him infusis 
In battellsj counsels, orisones, and brain. 
It neids no proofe ; experience is plane ; 
A cunning King a cunning Chancellor chuisis. 

Quhat happines the hevins on him bestoues, 
Hes trimlie at this trublous tyme bene tryde. 
Thoght worthynes of wreches be invyde, 
Zit wonted verteu ay the grener grouis. 

Then, lyk his name, the Gods for armis him gi£ves]] 

Suord, pen, and wings, in croun of laurel lei£ves.^ 



6*8 SONNETS. 

IN PRAIS OF THE KINGS VRANIE. 

Bellona's sone, of Mars the chosen chyld, 
Minerva's wit, and Mercuris goldin tung, 
Apollo's light, that ignorance exyld, 
From Jove ingendrit, and from Pallas sprung, 

Thy Vranie, O second Psalmist ! sung, 

Triumphis ouer Death, in register of fame ; 
Quharfor thy trophee trimlie sail be hung 
With laurell grene, eternizing thy name. 

Bot euen as Phoebus shyning does ashame 
Diana, with hir boroude beimis, and blind ; 
So vhen I preis thy praysis to proclame, 
Thy weghtie words maks myne appeir bot wind, 

Zit, worthy Prince ! thou wald tak in gude pairt 

My will for weill ; I want bot only arte. 

II. 

Of Titan's harp, sith thou intones the strings, 
Of Ambrose and of Nectar so thou feeds, 
Not only vther poets thou outsprings, 
Bot vhylis also thy very self excedes ; 

Transporting thee as ravishd, vhen thou redes 
Thyn auin inventione, wondering at thy wit. 
Quhat mervell than, thoght our fordullit hedes 
And blunter brainis be mare amais'd at it ; 

To sie thy zeirs and age, vhilks thou hes zit, 
Inferiour far to thy so grave ingyne ; 
Quha hazard at so high a mark, and hit, 
In English, as this Vranie of thyne : 

Quharfor thy name, O Prince ! eternall ringis, 

Quhais muse not Jove, bot grit Jehova singis. 



SONNETS. 69 

III. 

Can goltlin Titan shyning bright at morne, 

For light of torches, cast a gritter shau ? 

Can thunder reird the higher, for a home ? 

Craks cannouns louder, thoght a cok suld crau ? 
Can our waik breathis help Boreas to blau ? 

Can candle lou give fyr a griter heet ? 

Can quhy test suanis more quhyter mak the snau ? 

Can virgins teirs augment the winter's weet ? J 
Helps pyping Pan Apollo's musik sueet ? 

Can fontans smal the Ocean sea incres ? 

No, — they augment the griter not a quheet, 

Bot they thame selfis appeir to grou the les : 
So, peirles Prince ! thy cunning maks the knoune; 
Ours helps not thyn, — we steinzie bot our aune. 



IV. 



As bright Apollo staineth eviry star 

With goldin ray is, vhen he begins to ryse, 

Quhais glorious glance zit stoutly skaillis the skQyis^H 

Quhen with a wink we wonder vhair they war; 

Befor his face for feir they faid so far, 
And vanishis auay in such a wayis, 
That in thair spheirs thay dar not interpryse 
For to appeir lyk planeits, as they ar ; — 

Or as the Phoenix, with her fedrurn fair, 
Excels all foulis in diverse hevinly heuis, 
Quhais natur, contrare natur, sho reneuis, 
As only but companione or compair : — 

So, quintessenst of Kings ! vhen thou compyle, 

Thou stanis my versis with thy staitly style. 



70 SONNETS. 

TO HIS MAJESTIE, FOR HIS PENSIOUN. 

Help, Prince, to vhom, on vhom not I complene, 

Bot on, not to fals fortun, ay my fo ; 

Quha but, not by a resone, reft me fro ; 

Quha did, not does, zit suld my self sustene, 
Of crymis, not cairs, since I haif kept me clene, 

I thole, not thanks thame, Sir, vho serv'd me so ; 

Quha heght 5 not held to me, and mony mo, 

To help, not hurt, bot hes not by ding bene: 
Sen will not wit, to lait vhilk I lament, 

Of sight, not service, shed me from zour grace. 

With, not without, zour warrand, zit I went ; 

In wryt, not words ; the papers ar in place : 
Sen chance, not change, hes put me to this pane, 
Let richt, not reif, my pensioun bring agane. 

II. 
If lose of guids, if gritest grudge or grief, 

If povertie, imprisonment, or pane, 

If for guid will ingratitude agane, 

If languishing in langour but relief, 
If det, if dolour, and to become deif, 

If travell tint, and labour lost in vane, 

Do properly to Poets appertane, — 

Of all that craft my chance is to be chief. 
With August, Virgill wauntit his reuard, 

And Ovid's lote als lukles as the lave ; 

Quhill Homer liv'd, his hap wes wery hard, 

Zit, vhen he died, sevin cities for him strave : 
Thoght I am not lyk one of thame in arte, 
I pingle thame all perfytlie in that parte, 

10 



SONNETS. 71 

III. 

If I must begge, it sail be far fra hame ; 
If I must want,, it is aganis my will; 
I haif a stomok, thoght I hold me still, 
To suffer smart, but not to suffer shame. 

In spyt of fortun, I shall flie with fame ; 
Sho may my corps, bot not my curage kill : 
My hope is high, houbeit my hap be ill, 
And kittle aneugh, and clau me on the kame. 

Wes Bishop Betoun bot restord agane, 
To my ruin reserving all the rest, 
To recompence my prisoning and pane ! 
The worst is ill, if this be bot the best. 

Is this the frute, Sir, of your first affectione, — 

My pensioun perish vnder your protectione ? 

IV, 

Adeu, my King, court, country, and my kin : 
Adeu, suete Duke, vhose father held me deir : 
Adeu, companiones, Constable and Keir : 
Thrie treuar hairts, I trou, sail neuer tuin, 

If byganes to revolve I suld begin, 

My tragedie wald cost zou mony a teir ; 
To heir hou hardly I am handlit heir, 
Considring once the honour I wes in. 

Shirs, ze haif sene me griter with his grace, 

And with zour vmquhyle Maister to and myne ; 
Quha thoght the Poet somtyme worth his place, 
Suppose ze sie they shot him out sensyne. 

Sen wryt, nor wax, nor word is not a word, 

I must perforce ga seik my fathers suord. 



72 SONNETS. 

TO THE LORDS OF THE SESSION. 

Quhare bene ze, brave and pregnant sprits, becum ? 
Quik vive inventionis, ar ze worne auay ? 
I am assuird by simpathie that sum 
Wald never wish that cunning suld decay. 

If ony be, your Lordships must be thay, 

Whose spreits zour weeds of verteu hes you spun ; 
Then mak the Poet Pensioner, I pray. 
And byde be justice, as ze haif begun. 

Sen I haif richt, vhy suld I be ou'rrun ? 
Incurage me, and able I can carpe ; 
Hald evin the weyis ; the victory is wun, 
As I confyde in King and solid Sharpe; 

Quhom I culd len a lift, your Lordships knauis, 

War they in love, as I am in the lauis. 

II. 

Alace ! my Lords, hou long will ze delay 

To put the Poet's pensione out of plie ?; 

Zon shifting sophists hes no thing to say ; 

Their feckles flyting is not worth a flie. 
Mak Bishop Betone vhat they lyk to be : 

He must perforce be ather quik or deid. 

If he be deid, the mater maks for me; 

If he be quik, then they can cum no speid. 
By consequence, it can not bot succeid, 

For laik of forces they must tyn the feild ; 

And for the Bishope, I defy his feid ; 

Zok vhen we will, I hope to gar him zeild. 
So, good my Lords, I crave no more of zou, 
Bot shift me not vhill ze haif slane my sou. 



SONNETS. 73 

IIL 

How long will ze the Poet's patience prove ? 

Shaip ze to shift him lyk a pair of cartis ? 

Look vp, my Lords ; thair is a Lord above, 

Quha seis the smallest secreit of zour hairts. 
He vnderstands zour offices and zour airts ; 

He knauis vhat is committit to zour cure ; 

He recompencis, as ze play your pairts, 

Once, soon or syne, zour Lordships must be sure ; 
For he respects no princes more then pure. 

Quhat evir ze do then, hald the ballance evin ; 

Sa to do justice, I zou all conjure, 

As ze will merit ather hell or hevin. 
Deserv not de— (before zour Lordships) fames ; 
For I may able eternize your Names. 

IV. 

My Lords, late lads, nou leidars of our lauis, 
Except zour gouns, some hes not worth a grote. 
Your colblak conscience all the cuntrey knauis ; 
Hou can ze live, except ze sell zour vote ? 

Thoght ze deny, thair is aneu to note 
How ze for justice jouglarie hes vsit : 
Suppose ze say, ze jump not in a jote, 
God is not blind, he will not be abusit. . 

The tym sail come vhen ze sail be accufsit,] 
For mony hundreth ze haif herryit heir ; 
Quhare ze sail be forsakin and refusit, 
And syn compeld at Plotcok to appeir. 

I hope in God at lenth, thoght it be late, 

To sie sum sit into - - - - - - 



74 SONNETS. 

OF M. J. SHARPE. 

If gentle bkitle ingendrit be by baggis, 
Then culd I ges vho wer a gentle Jhone ; 
If he be wysest, with the world that waggis, 
Zit culd I wish zou to a wittie one ; 

If he be all, vha thinks his nichtboui's none, 
Then surely I suld shau zou vho wer all ; 
If he be Caesar, vho doth so suppone, 
Then I conjecture vhom I Caesar call ; 

If he be sure, vho sueirs and sayis he sail, 
Then certainly I wot weill vho wer sure ; 
If he be firme, vho neuer feirs to fall, 
I doubt not then vhose dayis suld lang indure ; 

Sed quaeritur, vhat lau he lei vis at leist ? 

He wald not preich ; he can not be a preist. 

II. 

A Baxters bird, a bluiter beggar borne, 
Ane ill heud huirsone, lyk a barkit hyde, 
A saulles suinger, seuintie tymes mensuorne, 
A pel trie pultron poyson'd vp with piyde, 

A treuthles tongue that turnes with eviry tyde, 
A double deillar with dissait indeu'd, 
A luiker bak vhare he wes bund to byde, 
A retrospicien vhom the Lord outspeud, 

A brybour baird that mekle baill lies breud, 
Ane hypocrit, ane ydill atheist als, 
A skurvie skybell for to be esheu'd, 
A faithles/ feckles, fingerles, and fals, 

A Turk that tint Tranent for the Tolbuith, — 

Quha reids this riddill he is shahpe forsuith, 



SONNTETfi (5 

TO HIS ADUERSARS LAUYERS. 

Presume not, Prestone, Stirling is no strenth ; 
Suppose ze come to cleik auay my King., 
Beleiv me baith, ze sail be lost at lenth ; 
Assure your selfis, and think nane other thing. 

Byde ze the brash, vhill I my battrie bring. 
For all your Craig, vharin ze so confyde, 
Experience will play zou sik a spring, 
Sail pluk your pennis, and pacifie zour pryde. 

I sail beseige you'sa on euirie syde, 

Zour baggage, buluarks, sail not be na buit ; 
Ze sail not haif ane hoill your heids to hyde, 
Fra tym ze caus my Cannoun Royal shuit. 

Haif at zour rocks and ramparts with a rattill ; 

Sho shuits so Sharpe, ze dou not byde a brattill. 

TO R. HUDSONE. 

My best belouit brother of the band, 
I grein to sie the sillie smiddy smeik. 
This is no lyfe that I live vpaland, 
On rau rid herring reistit in the reik : 

Syn I am subject somtyme to be seik, 
And daylie deing of my auld diseis. 
Eit bread, ill aill, and all things ar ane eik ; 
This barme and blaidry buists up all my bees. 

Ze knau ill guyding genders mony gees, 
And specially in poets. For example, 
Ze can pen out tua cuple, and ze pleis ; 
Zourself and I, old Scot and Robert Semple. 

Quhen we ar dead, that all our dayis bot daffis, 

Let Christan Lyndesay wryt our Epitaphis 



76 SONNETS. 

II. 

With mightie maters mynd I not to mell, 

As copping Courts, or Comonwelthis, or Kings 
Quhais craig zoiks fastest, let tham sey thame sell ; 
My thoght culd nevir think vpon sik things. 

I wantonly wryt vnder Venus wings' ; 

In Cupids court, ze knau I haif bene kend, 
Quhair Muses zit som of my sonets sings, 
And shall do aluayis to the worlds end. 

Men hes no caus my cunning to commend, 
That it suld merit sik a memorie ; 
Zit ze haif sene his Grace oft for me send, 
Quhen he took plesure into poesie, 

Quhill tyme may serve, perforce I must refrane, 

That pleis his Grace I come to Court agane. 

III. 

I feid affectione vhen I sie his Grace, 
To look on that vhairin I most delyte ; 
I am a lizard, fainest of his face, 
And not a snaik, with poyson him to byte ; . 

Quhais shape's alyk, thoght fashions differ quyt : 
The one doth love, the other hateth still. 
Vhare some taks plesur, others tak despyte : 
One shap, one subject, wishis weill and ill ; 

Euen so will men, — bot no man judge £1 will, J 
Baith loue and loth, and only bot ane thing. 
I can not skan these things above my skill. 
Loue vhome they lyk ; for me, I loue the King, 

Vhose Highnes laughed som tym for to look 

Hou I chaist Polwart from the chimney [jiook.]] 



SONNETS. 77 

IV. 

Remembers thou in iEsope of a taill ? 
A louing clog wes of his maister fane ; 
To faun on him wes all his pastym haill. 
His courteous maister clappit him agane. 

By stood ane asse, a beist of blunter brane, 
Perceiving this, bot looking to no freet, 
To pleis hir maister with the counterpane, 
Sho clambe on him with hir foull clubbit feet. 

To play the messan thoght sho wes not £meit,3 
Sho meinit weill, I grant ; hir mynd wes guid : 
But vhair sho troude hir maister suld hir Qtreit,^ 
They battound hir vhill that they sau hir bluid. 

So stands with me, vho loues with all my piairt^j 

My maister best : some taks it in ill pairt. 

V. 

Bot sen I sie this proverbe to be true, 

" Far better hap to Court, nor service good," 
Fairueill, my brother Hudsone - - - - 
Vho first fand out of Pegase fut the flood, 

And sacred hight of Parnase mytred hood ; 
From vhence som tyme the son of Delos sent 
Tua seuerall shaftis vher he of Delphos stood, 
With Pennevs dochter hoping to acquent. 

Thy Homer's style, thy Petrark's high invent, 
Sail vanquish death, and live eternally ; 
Quhais boasting bou, thoght it be aluayis bent, 
Sail neuer hurt the sone of Memorie. 

Thou onlie brother of the Sisters Nyne, 

Shau to the King this poor Complant of myne, 



78 SONNETS, 

CHRISTEN LYNDESAY TO RO. HUDSONE. 

Oft haive I hard, bot ofter fund it treu, 

That Courteours kyndnes lasts bot for a vhyle. 
Fra once zour turnes be sped, vhy then adeu ; 
Zour proraeist freindship passis in exyle. 

Bot, Robene, faith, ze did me not beguyll ; 
I hopit ay of zou as of the lave : 
If thou had wit, thou wald haif mony a wyle, 
To mak thy self be knaune for a knaive. 

Montgomrie, that such hope did once conceave 
Of thy guid-will, nou finds all is forgotten. 
Thoght not bot kyndnes he did at the craiv, 
He finds thy freindship as it rypis is rotten. 

The smeikie smeithis cairs not his passit trauel, 

But lei vis him lingring, deing of the gravell. 

TO M. J. MURRAY. 

Flie louer, Phoenix. Feirs thou not to fyre 
Invironing the aluayis-upuard ayr ? 
Vhich thou must pas, before that thou come [Jthair] 
Vharas thy sprit so spurris thee to aspyre ; 

To wit, aboue the planetis to impyre, 
Behind the compas of Apollo's chayr, 
And tuinkling round of burning rubies rare, 
Quhair all the Gods thy duelling do desyre. 

Bot duilfull doom of destinies thee clammis, 
Before thy blissit byding be above, 
The mortal from immortall to remove, 
To sacrifice thy self to Phoebus flammis. 

I prophecy e, vhen so sail come to pa£sse,I| 

We nevir sie such one come of thy Casse.U 



SOKXETS. 79 

TO M. L. RUTIIUEN, DUCHES OF LENNOX. 

I love the Lillie as the first of flours, 

Vhose staitly stalk so streight vp is and stay, 
To vhome the laive ay lowly louts and Qcours^ 
As bund so brave a beuty to obey. 

Amongs thame selfis it semes as they suld £say,3 
" Sueet Lillie, as thou art our lamp of light, 
Resave our homage to thy honours ay, 
As kynd commands to render thee thy right. 

Thy blisfull beams with beutie burnisht bright, 
So honours all the gardein vhair thou grouis, 
For suetest smell and shyning to the sight ; 
The heuins on the sik ^matchless grace bestouis,3 

That vho persaivis thy excellence by ours, 

Must love the Lillie as the first of flours." 

A LADYIS LAMENTATIONE. 

Vhom suld I warie bot my wicked weard, 
Vha span my thriftles thrauard fatall threed ? 
I wes bot skantlie entrit in this eard, 
Nor had ofFendit, vhill I felt hir feed. 

In hir vnhappy hands sho held my heed, 
And straikit bakuard wodershins my hair ; 
Syne prophecyed, I suld aspyre and speed : 
Quhilk double sentence wes baith suith and sair, 

For I wes matchit with my match and mair ; 
No worldly woman neuir w r es so weill ; 
I wes accountit Countes but compair, 
Quhill fickle Fortun whirld me from hir vheelL 

Rank and renoun in lytill roum sho rang'd, 

And Lady Lucrece in a Cressede chang'd. 



80 SONNETS. 

II. 

Melpomene, my mirthles murning Muse ! 
Wouchsaiv to help a wrechit woman weep, 
Vliose chanch is, cassin that sho can not chuse 
Bot sigh, and sobbe, and soun, vhen sho suld sleep. 

More hevynes within my hairt I heep, 
Nor cative Cresside, vhair sho lipper lay, 
Dispair hes dround my hapeless hope so deep, 
My sorie song is, oh and welauay ! 

Euen as the Oul that dar not sie the day, 

For feir [of foulis that then about do proull,] 
So am I nou, exyld from honour ay, 
Compaird to Cresside and the vgly Oull. 

Fy, lothsomeLyfe! Fy, Death, that dou not - - - 

Bot quik and dead a bysin thow must - — 

III. 

Lord, for my missis, micht I mak a mends, 
By putting me to penance as thou pleasd ! 
Good God ! forgive offenders that offends, 
And heall the hurt of sik as are diseasde ; 

Hou soon they murne, with mercy thou - • ,%. 
As thou hes said; and surely so it semes : 
Suppose my silly saull with sin be seasde, 
Zit the reversiones rests that it redemes. 

Destroy me not, that so of the estemes, 
My suete Redemer ; let me neuer die, 
Bot blink on me euen with thy blisful b£eames,] 
And mak ane other Magdelene of me. 

Forgive my gylt, sen nane bot God is gude ; 

So, with Peccavi Pater, I conclude. 






SONNETS. 81 

I. 

Fane wald Lspeir vhat spreit doth me pnspyre.]- 

I haif my wish, and zit I want my will ; 

I covet lyfe, and zit my corps I kill ; 

I vrne for anger, zit I haif no yre ; 
I flie the flammis, zit folouis on the [fire ;] 

I lyk my lote, and zit my luk is ill ; 

I zoldin am, and zit am stryving still ; 

I dreid Dispair, zit Hope hes heght me hyre ; 
My bluid is brunt, and zit my breist does bleid ; 

I haif no hurt, and zit my hairt hes harmes ; 

I am ou'rcome, but enimie or armis : 

The Doctours doubtis if I be quik or deid : 
If that I kneu of vhome I culd inquyre, 
Fain wold I speir vhat spreit does me inspyre, 

II. 

My plesuris past procures my present pain ; - 
My present pain expels my plesurs past ; 
My languishing, alace ! is lyk to last ; 
My greif ay groues, my gladenes wants a grane ; 

My bygane joyes I can not get agane, 

Bot, once imbarkit, I must byde the blast. 
I can not chuse ; my kinsh is not to cast : 
To wish it war, my wish wald be bot vane : 

Zit> vhill I sey my senses to dissaive, 

To pleis my thoght, I think a thousand things, 
Quhilks to my breist bot borou'de blythnes brings : 
Anis hope I had, thoght nou dispair I haive : 

A stratagem, thoght strange, to stay my sturt^ 

By apprehensioun for to heill my hurt. 

F 



82 SONNETS. 

III. 

I wyt myne ee, for vieuing of my wo ; 

I wyt myn earis, for heiring my mishap ; 

I wyt my senses, vhilks dissavit me so ; 

I wyt acquentance, that in credit crap ; 
I wyt the trane, that took me with a trap ; 

I wyt Affection e, formest to the feild ; 

I wyt Misluk, that sulci me 

I wyt my youth, that but a promeis zeild ; 
I wyt my stomoch, wes not stoutly ste[ild ;] 

I wyt hir looks, vhilk left me not alane ; 

I wyt my wisdome, suld haif bene my sheild ; 

I wyt my tongue, that told vhen I wes ta[ne :] 
Had I my counsell keepit vndeclairde, 
I might haif dred, bot deidly not dispairde. 

[jTO HIS MAISTRES.] 

Bright amorous ee, vhare Love in ambush [lyes,]—- • 
Cleir cristal tear, distilde at our depairt, — 
Sueet secreit sigh, more peircing nor a dairt, — 
Inchanting voce, beuitcher of the wyse,— 

Quhyt ivory hand, vhilk thrust my finger - - - 
I challenge zou, the causers of my smarte, 
As homiceids, and murtherers of my harte, 
In Resones court to suffer ane assyse. 

Bot, oh ! I fear ; zea rather wot I weill, 
To be repledg't, ze plainly will appeill 
To Love, whom Resone never culd cofmmand :] 
Bot, since I can not better myn estate, 

Zit, vhill I live, at leist I sail regrate 

Ane ee, a teir, a sigh, a voce, a hand. 

10 



SONNETS. 83 

II. 

Thyne ee the glasse vhare I beheld my Qiairt ;] 
Myn ee the windo throu the vhilk thyn ee 
May see my hairt, and thair thy self espy 
In bloody colours hou thou painted art. 

Thyne ee the pyle is of a mu^rtherer's dairt ;] 
Myne ee the sicht thou taks thy levell by, 
To shute my hairt, and nevir shute aury : 
Myn ee thus helpis thyn ee to work my smarte. 

Thyn ee consumes me lyk a flamming fyre ; 
Myn ee most lyk a flood of teirs do run. 
Oh ! that the water in myne ee begun, 
Micht quench the burning fornace of desyre ! 

Or then the fyr els kindlit by thyn ey, 

The flouing teirs of sorrou micht mak dry ! 

III. 

So suete a kis zistrene fra thee I reft, 
In bouing doun thy body on the bed, 
That evin my lyfe within thy lippis I left ; 
Sensyne from thee my spirits wald neuer shed ; 

To folou thee it from my body fled, 
And left my corps als cold as ony kie. 
Bot vhen the danger of my death I dred, 
To seik my spreit I sent my harte to thee ; 

Bot.it wes so inamored with thyn ee, 
With thee it myndit lykuyse to remane : 
So thou lies keepit captive all the thrie, 
More glaid to byde then to returne agane. 

Except thy breath thare places had suppleit, 

Even in thyn amies thair doutles had I deit. 



5$ SONNETS. 

JAMES LAUDER. 
/ wald se mare. 
I wald se mare nor ony thing I sie ; 

I sie not zit the thing that I desyre : 

Desyre it is that does content the ee ; 

The ee it is vhilk settis the hairt in fyre. 
In fyre to fry, tormentit thus, I tyre ; 

I tyre far mair, till tyme these flammis I feid : 

I feed afFectione, spurring to aspyre 

Aspyre I sail, in esperance to speid ; 
To speed I hope, thoght danger still I dreid ; 

I dreid no thing bot ouer long delay : 

Delay in love is dangerous indeed ; 

Indeid I shape the soner to assay ; 
Assay I sail, hap ill or weill, I vou ; 
I vou to ventur, to triumph I trou. 

ISSOBELL YONG. 
By loving so. 

I trou zour love by loving so vnsene ; 
Vnsene siklyk I languish for your love : 
Zour love is comely, constant, chaste, and clene ; 
And clene is myne, experience sail prove ; 

Prove vhen ze pleis, I mynd not to remove ; 
Remove vho may, if Destinies decreit : 
Decreit is givin by Hymen high above ; 
Aboue all bands that blissed band is sweet : 

Sueit is that zok so mutuall and meet ; 

And meit it war we met, if that we might : 
We might perhaps our purpose then compleit : 
Compleit it quickly, Reson thinks it right. 

Right beiring rule, the righteous suld rejose : 

Rejose in God, and on his will repose. 



SONNETS. 85 

EUFAME WEMIS. 

Treu fame we mis thy trumpet for to tune, 

To blau a blast a beuty for to blaise ; 

A paragone vhilk poets oght to praise : 

Had I that science, I suld sey it sune : 
Zit, as I dar, my deutie sail be done, 

With more affectione nor with formall phrais. 

I seme, vhill I vpon hir graces gaze, 

Endymion enamor'd with the Mone, 
My Muse, let Mercure language to me len, 

With Pindar pennis, for to outspring the spheirs ; 

Or Petrarks pith, surpassing all my peirs, 

To pingill Apelles pynsell with my pen, 
And not to say, as we haif said abone, 
TrEW fame j we mis thy trumpet for to tone. 

JOHN JHONSONE JANE MAXWELL. 

Sueit soull, perceive hou secreit I conceill, 

Rad to reveill that peirtly I propone. 

Look ony one before me lov'd so leill ; 

Examene weill ; oh ! oh ! we se't in none. 
Good love is gone, except my love alone, 

Thoght gromes can grone as they wald give the ghost ; 

Half mang'd almost, als stupefact as stone, 

Lyk Treuth in throne, they look as they wer lost. 
They turne, they tost, they rave, they rage, they rost, 

As catives crost, vhill they your favour find. 

To bid you bind thair purpose, runs the post ; 

Bot bund they bost - - <■ - - - 
Zit trying tyme, the touchstone of my treuth, 
As resone wold, requests you to haif reuth. 



86 v SONNETS. 

HIS MAISTRES NAME. 

Quhat pregnant sprit the letters can espy 
My ladyis name and surname that begins ? 
Betuixt thame ay in ordour, is bot I, 
And only I these lovely letters tuins ; 

Thoght rekles redars rashly ouer this rins, 
Zit sharper shuters ner the mark will shute. 
Shute on ; lat sie vho first my wedfie w£ins ;]] 
For I will wed ane apple and a nute. 

To brek zour brains, ze bunglers, is no bute ; 
The mair ze muse, the mare ze misse the [[mark.]] 
I count zour cunning is not worth a cute, 
That cannot kyth zour self to be a cQark.] 

Or ze this find, I feir ze first be fane 

For to begin zour A, B, C agane. 

TO HIS MAISTRES MESSANE. 

Ha ! lytill dog, in happy pairt thou crap, 
If thou had skill thy happynes to 'spy, 
That secreit in my ladyis armis may ly, 
And sleip so sueitly in hir lovely lap. 

Bot I, alace ! in wrechednes me wrap, 
Becaus ouer weill my misery knou I, 
For that my zouth to leirne I did apply ; 
My ouer grit skill hes maid my oune mishap. 

Vhy haif I not, O God, als blunt a [[braine] 
As he that daylie worbleth in the wyne, 
Or to mak faggots for his fuid is fane ? 
Lyk as I do I suld not die and duyn : 

My pregnant spreit, the hurter of my harte, 

Lyk as it does, suld not persave my smarte. 



SONNETS. 87 

TO M. D. 

For Skelmurley. 

Sweet Philomene, with cheiping chyrris and charris, 
In hauthornes vher thou hyds thy self and hants, 
Beuailing thy virginitie, thou wants, 
My harte to grone, for very grief thou garris, 

Thy rairthles mone my melody so marris ; 

Vhill as thy changing, chivring nots thou chants, 
The peircing pyksgroues at thy gorge, thou grants; 
So neir is skaith, suppose thou skantly skarris. 

For murning II may be thy mirthles match : 
As thou art banishd, so am I exyld; 
As thou art trumped, so am I begyld ; 
Thou art vnweirdit, I a wofui wrech ; 

Thou art asham'd to shau thy secreit smart ; 

My lady is bagie beirs my bluidy hart. 

II. 

Thoght peirlis give $ryce, and diamonds be deir, 
Or royall rubies countit rich and rare ; 
The Margarit, does merit mekle mare, 
As jem of jeuels, paragone but peir. 

Wald God if it wer gettible for geir ! 
Culd it be coft, for cost I wald not care ; 
Both lyfe and goods, to win it, wold I [[ware,]] 
Provyding I war worthy it to weir. 

Nixt wald I wish my purpose broght to Q)as,3 
That I micht tak and tame the turtle do£u,3 
And set hir syne vhare that I micht sie th£rou] 
Arte costly cage of cleirest cristall glas ; 

Vhilks with my jeuell micht I joyne, I gra[nt,3 

I culd not wish in world CoughO that I want. 



88 SONNETS. 

OF MY LADY SEYTON. 
M, M. 

O happy star, at evning and at morne, 

Vhais bright aspect my maistres first outCforne Q 

O happy credle, and O happy hand 

Vhich rockit hir the hour that sho wes bQorne :H 

O happy pape, ze rather nectar home, 

First gaiv hir suck, in siluer suedling band : 
O happy wombe, consavit had beforne 
So brave a beutie, honour of our land : 

O happy bounds, vher dayly zit scho duells, 
Vhich Inde and Egypts happynes excells : 
O happy bed vharin sho sail be laid : 
O happy babe in belly sho sail breid : 

Bot happyer he that hes that hap indeid, 

To mak both wyfe and mother of that [maid. 3 

TO THE FOR ME. 

Suete Nichtingale ! in holene grene that han£ts,3 
To sport thy self, and speciall in the spring; 
Thy chivring chirlis,vhilks chan£ginglie thou chants^ 
Maks all the roches round about the ring ; 

Vhilk slaiks my sorou, so to heir the sing, 
And lights my louing langour at the leist ; 
Zit thoght thou sees not, sillie, saikles thing ! 
The piercing pykis brods at thy bony breist. 

Euin so am I, by plesur lykuyis preist, 
In gritest danger vhair I most delyte : 
Bot since thy song, for shoring, hes not ceist, 
Suld feble I, for feir, my conqueis quyt ? 

Na, na, — I love the, freshest Phoenix fair, 

In beuty, birth, in bounty but compair. 



SONNETS. S ( J 

II. 

Love lent me wings of hope and high desyre, 
Syn bad me flie, and feir not for ane fall. 
Zit tedious trauell tystit me to tyre, 
Uhill Curage come, and culd me couart call. 

As Icarvs with wanton waxit wings, 
Ayme at the only A per se of all ; 
Uhilk staynis. the sun, that sacred thing of things. 
And spuris my spreit, that to the heuins it springs, 
Quyt ravisht throu the region of the air, 
Uhair zit my hairt in hoping hazard hings, 
At poynt to speid, or quikly to despair. 
Zet shrink not, hairt ! as simple as thou semes, 
If thou be brunt, it is with beuties bemes. 

III. 

Go, Pen and Paper ! publish my complantis ; 
Waill weghtie words, because ze cannot weep ; 
For pitthie poemis prettilie out paintis 
My secreit sighis as sorouis gritest heep, 

Bred in my breist, ze rather dungeon deep, 
As prisoners perpetually in pane, 
Whilk hes the credit of my harte to keep, 
In martyrdome, but mercy, to remane. 

Anatomeze my privie passionis plane, 

That sho my smart by sympathie may £sie,D 
If they deserve to get some grace agane ; 
Uhilk if they do not, I desyr to die. 

Co, Sonet, soon unto my Soveran say, 

Redeme zour man, or dam him but delay. 



90 SONNETS. 

[on HIS MAISTRES.J 

Vhat subject, sacred Sisters, sail I sing ? 
Vhase praise, Apollo, sal my pen proclame ? 
Vhat nymph, Minerva, sail thy novice [name ?] 
The bravest blossome, beutie can outbring, 

On staitly stalk new sprouting, furth Qsall spring.] 
Hou sail I sound the fanphar of hir fame, 
Vhais angels ees micht mak the sun thin[k shame,] 
As half eclipsed, in the heuins to hing ? 

Bot hola, Muse ! thou mints at such a mark, 
Vhais merit far excedes thy slender skill ; 
Zit, if hir grace, for weill, accept gude Qwill/] 
Then war thou weill reuardit for thy wark : 

Bot since to mount thy maistres the commands, 

With hope, once hazard for to kis hir hands. 

II. 

Hir brouis, tuo bouis of ebane ever bent ; 
Hir amorous ees the awfull arrouis ar ; 
The archer, Love, vho shoots so sharpe and far ; 
My breist, the butt vhairat hir shots ar sent ; 

My lyf, the wageour, if I win the war ; 

My patience pleids my proces at the bar ; 

My bluid, the long expensis I haif spent ; 
My secrete sighis, solisters for my sute ; 

My trinkling teirs, the presents I propyne ; 

My constancie, hir councellours to enclyne : 

But Rigour ryvis the hairt out by the root. 
Hope heghts me help, bot Feir finds no refuge ; 
My pairties ar my javellour and my judge. 



SONNETS. 91 

III. 

Excuse me, Plato, if I suld suppose 

That vnderneth the heuinly vauted round, 
Without the world, or in pairts profound 
By Stix inclos'd, that emptie place is none. 

If watrie vauts of air be full echone, 

Then vhat contenis rny teirs, vhich so abound ? 
Withsighis and sobbis, which to the hevins I sound, 
Vhen Love delytis to let me mak my mone ? 

Suppose the solids subtilis ay restrantis, 
Vhich is the maist, my maister, ze may mene ; 
Thoght all war void, zit culd they not contene 
The half, let be the haill of my complaintis. 

Vhair go they then ? the question wald I cjjrave,^ 

Except for ruth the hevins suld thame [receive.^] 

IV. 

Vha wald behold him vhom a God so grievis ? 
Vhom he assaild, and danton'd with his rdairt,3 
Of vhom he freizis, and infiams the hairt, 
Vhais shame siclyk him gritest honour givis ? 

Vha wald behald a zouth that nevir QleivesJ 
In vain, to folou the object of his smarte ? 
Behold bot me, persaiv my painfull pairt, 
And th* Archer that, but mercy, me misch^eivis.] 

Thair sail he sie vhat Resone then - - - - 
Against his bou, if once he mint bot to - - - - 
Compell our hairts in bondage basse to be ; 
Zit sail he se me happiest appeir, 

That in my hairt the amorous heid does - - 

Vith poyson'd poynt, vhairof I glore - - 



92 SONNETS. 

V. 

Hou long sail I in languishing lament ? 

Hou long sail I bot duyne, and dou not d£ie ?]] 

Hou long sail Love, but Mercy, murther me ? 

Hou long against me sail his bou be bent ? 
Hou long sail pane my plesur so prevent ? 

Hou long sail weping blind my watrie ee ? 

Hou long sail baill my bed felou zit be ? 

Or vhen sail I with comfort be acquent ? 
Hou long sail hope be hindrit be mishap ? 

Hou long zit, Love, will thou my patience prove ? 

Hou long sail wo in wTechitnes me wrap ? 

Vp once, and my melancholie remove. 
Revenge, revert, revive, revest, reveall, 
My hurt, my hairt, my hope, my hap, my heall. 

OF THE DULEWEID. 
I. 

The burning sparkis of Helens angells ee, 
But missing any, woundit eviry wicht 
That come within the boushot of her sicht ; 
Bot Love, vhose harte compassion had to see 

Sa many lovers, but redemption, dee, 
Vha war attrapit with so sueet a slicht, 
In murning blak he cled this beutie bricht, 
As funerall mark and handsenzie to be. 

But all in vane, alace ! I must confes ; 
For why ? a thousand lovers not the les, 
Thoght they persaiv'd that Burrio Death to bost 
Within his eyis, and sau him vhar he sat, 

Zit feirles ran they, not withstanding that, 

To se these eyis ; and syn gaiv vp the ghost. 



SOKNE1 93 

II. 

Had I a foe that hated me to dead, 

For my reuenge, I wish him no more ill 
Dot to behold hir eyis, vhilk euer still 
Ar feirce against me with so sueet a feid. 

Hir looks belyve such horrour suld him bpeid,] 
His wish wold be, his cative corps to kill. 
Euen Plesurs self could not content his will ; 
Except the death, no thing culd him remQeid.] 

The vgly looks of old Medusa's eyps,] 
Compaird to hirs, ar not bot poets leyis ; 
For hirs exceids thame in a sharper sort : 
The Gorgon bot transformit men in stapiis,] 

Bot she inflammis and freizis both at anis. 

To spulzie hairt, that minion maks hir sp£ort.] 

III. 

Quhat suld I wish, if wishing war not vapie ?] 
Gold? silver? stones? or precious peirlis of [Ind?] 
No, no ; I carie not a misers mynd ; 
I wish no more bot to be borne agane ; 

Provyding that I micht a man remapie,] 
And sho that bure me, euen of sik a kynd, 
That in hir birth hir persone war not pypid,] 
Bot ay the plesur to exceid the pane. 

Then to be borne into a bonie bark, 

To saill the seyis, in sik tym of the zeir 
Vhen hevy hartis it helthsum halds, to hepr] 
The mirthful mavps] and the lovesome Parke.] 

In end, I wold, my voyage being maid, 



94 SOXXETS. 

THE POETS APOLOGIE TO THE KIRK OF EDINBURGH. 

I wonder of zour Wisdomes, that ar wyse, 

That baith raiskennis my method and my Muse ; , 
Quhen I invey, such epithets I wse, 
That evin Alecto laughing at me lyis. 

My trumpets tone is terribler be tuyis 
Nor zon couhorne, vhereof ze me accuse ; 
For fra the Fureis me with fyr infuse, 
Quhom Bautie byts, he deir that bargan byis ; 

For if I open wp my anger anes, 

To plunge my pen into that stinking styx, 
My tongue is lyk the lyons ; vhair it liks, 
It brings the flesh, lyk Bryrie, fra the banes. 

I think it scorne, besyd the skaith and sklander, 

To euin an ape with aufull Alexander. 

THAT HE WROT NOT AGANSTE THE MADINS OF 
EDINBURGH. 

Qubat reckles rage hes armde thy tygirs tung, 
On sueit and simple soulis to speu thy spy te ? 
Quhat syren suld such poysond songs haif sung ? 
Quhat deuill such ditties devysit to indyte ? 

Quhat madnes mov'd, such venemous vords to [write?] 
Quhat hellish hands hes led thy bluidie pen ? 
Quhat furious feynd inflamde thee so to [flyte ?] 
Thee, — no wyse nou to numbred be with men. 

Quhat euer thou be, thou art a knave — — • 
So leudly on these lassis to haif leid ; 
And if thou pleis, appoint hou, vhair, and vhen, 
And I sail mak thee, Beist ! not to byde be — - — 

That nather they ar sik as thou lies said, 

Nor I am be these rascall raylings maid. 



SONNETS. 95 

TO HIS MAJESTIE. 

That he wrote no[t] against vmqu u M. Jane Cuningkame. 

Sir, I am sorrie that ze suld suppone 
Me to be one in lucre to delyte, 
Or speu despyt against hir vho is gone : 
No, — nevir none culd fee me so to flyte. 

I war to wyt, the bureit to bakbyte, 
Or to indyt hir families defame, 
Thoght Cuningham, — in conscience I am q-uy[tej 
By word or wryt. Aneugh nou for my n[ame.] 

I sueat for shame, besyd the blot and [blame], 
Men suld proclame it wer Montgomriefs muse :] 
Fy ! I refuse sik filthie these or theam, 
Houbeit at hame mair vncouthnes we wse. 

I must confes, it war a fekles fead, 

Quha docht do nocht bot to detract the Qdeid.] 

From London, 
TO W. MURRAY. 

Belouit brother, I commend me to zou. 
Pleis you, resaiv this lytil pretie ring, 
With all the rest of goodnes I may do zou, 
Quhan I may vaik fra service of the king. 

Sen for your saik I keepit sik a thing, 
I mene the pece of lether from zour spur, 
If J forzet, — in hemp, God ! nor ze hing ! — 
Vncourtessie comes aluayis of a cur. 

Bot ze sail find me byding lyk a bur, 

Quhilk lichtlie will not leiv the grip it gettis ; 
And am right dortie to come ou'r the dur, 
For thame that by my kyndnes no-thing settis. 

Thus haif I bene as zit, and sal be so ; 

Kynd to my freind, bot fremmit to my fo. 



96 SONNETS. 

LADYLAND 3T0 CAP. A, MONTEGOMERIE. 

My best belouit brother of the craft, 

God ! if ze kneu the stait that I am in ; — 
Thoght ze be deif, I knou ze ar not daft, 
Bot kynd aneugh to any of zour kin ; — 

If ze bot sau me, in this winter win, 
With old bogogers, hotching on a sped, 
Draiglit in dirt, vhylis wat evin to the £skin,3— 
I trou thair suld be tears or we tua shed. 

Bot maist of all, that heslny bailis bred, 
To heir hou ze on that syde of the m£ure,3 
Birlis at the wyne, and blythlie gois to [[bed ;^ 
Forzetting me, pure Pleuman, I am sure. 

So, sillie I, opprest with barmie jugg[is,3 

Invyis zour state, that's pouing Bacchus Qluggis.^ 

EZECKIEL MONTG. ANSUEIR TO LADYLAND. 

Beloued brother, I haif sene your bill, 
And smyld to sie the Sonet that ze send, 
I sie zow skornfull, thoght ze haif no sk£ill,]] 
Becaus to play the poet ze pretend. 

Bot sen ze craiv zour cunning to be £kend,3 
Come on, companion ; I becall your crakQsQ 
For all the poeme, Pleuman, ze haif pe£nd,3 
I am ou'r sair for zou and other sax. 

To match Montgomerie, thoght a mint [thou maks,^ 
Thou menes be me thy maich, and mair nor match ; 
Hou beit thou brave vs, Bour ! behind our baks, 
No man invyis our weilfair, bot a wrech. 

Mell not with vs, vhose heads weirs l£aurel - - 3 

Our Muse drinks wyne, vhen thyn bot suims in suaits. 

If I haif shod zou strait, or on a vane, 

Gar Peter Barkley drau the naill agane. 



SONNETS. 97 

LADYLAND TO EZECH. MONTG. 

Sir Icarus, zour Sonet I haiv sene, 

Nocht ignorant vhose bolt that bag come fro. 

Ze lent zour name to feght against zour frene, 

Till one durst neu'r avou him self my fo. 
I mak a vou,— and I heir ony mo 

Such campillmuts, ze better hold zou still. 

Ze crak so crouse, I ken, becaus ze'r tuo ; 

Bot I am dour, and dou not want my will. 
Grou I campstarie, it may drau to ill ; 

Thairfore it's good in tyme that we wer shed. 

My Bee's aloft, and daggit full of skill : 

It getts corne drink, sen Grissall toke the bed, 
Come on, good gossopis ; let vs not discord ; 
With Johne and George ze must convoy my Lord. 

AGAINST THE GOD OF LOVE, 

Blind brutal Boy, that with thy bou abuses 
Leill leisome Love by Lechery and Lust, 
Judge, Jakanapis and Jougler maist vnjfust,3 
If in thy rageing Resone thou refuises. 

To be thy chiftanes changers ay thou chuisis, 
To beir thy baner, so they be robust. 
Fals tratur, Turk, betrayer vnder trust, 
Quhy maks thou Makrels of the modest Muses ? 

Art thou a God ? No, — bot a Gok disguysit ; 
A bluiter buskit lyk a belly blind, 
With wings and quaver waving with the wind ; 
A plane playmear for Vanitie devysit. 

Thou art a Stirk. for all thy staitly stylis ; 

And these, good Geese, vhom sik a God begylis. 

G 



98 SONNETS. 



To my old Mdister, and his yong disciple ; 
Tua bairnis qfBeath, by Natur taught to tipple. 

THE OLD MAISTEB, 

The Lesbian Lad, that weirs the wodbind w£reath,3 
With Ceres and Cylenus, gled zour ging. 
Be blyth, Kilbviinie, "with the Bairns of Be[ath;] 
And let Lochwinnoch Lordie lead zour riQig/] 

Be mirrie men ; feir God, and serve the Kpng ;~] 
And cair not by Dame Fortuns fead, a fl£ea ;] 
Syne, welcome hame, suete Semple, sie ze f sing ;] 
Gut ou'r, and let the wind shute in the £sea.] 

I, Richie, Jane, and George are lyk to Tdee ;] 
Four crabit crippilis crackand in our crouch. 
Sen I am trensh-man for the other thr[ie,] 
Let drunken Pancrage drink to me in D[utch.] 

Scol frie, al out, albeit that I suld brist 

lh wachts, hale beir, fan hairts and nych sum drist. 






THE 



F L Y T I N G 



BETWIXT 



MONTGOMERY 



AND 



POLWART. 




EDINBVRGH, 

Printed by the Heires of Andro Hart, 1629. 



The edition of " The Fly ting," of which the preceding title 
is a faithful resemblance, is supposed to be the earliest now 
existing ; although one of a few years prior date was pre* 
^served in the Harleian Library, till its dispersion. In Vol. 
III. wro. 6031. — and again, in Vol. V. nro. 4746, of the Ca- 
talogue of that unrivalled collection, it is thus described ;— 
" The Flyting betwixt Montgomerie and Polwart. Edinb. 
printed by Andro Hart, 1621/' in teo. Besides this edition, 
there is another, which bears the following title :-— " The 
Flytting betwixt Montgomerie and Polwart. Newlie cor-* 
rected and enlarged. Edinbvrgh, Printed by the heirs 
of Thomas Finlason, for Iohn Wood, and are to be sold 
in his Shop on the South side of the high Street, a little 
aboue the Croce. 1629." 14 leaves in Mo. A minute com- 
parison, however, between the two impressions in the year 
1629, leaves any material variation undiscovered, and tes- 
tifies, that, if these poems ever were " corrected and en* 
larged/' we have no means left to ascertain the extent of 
the alteration* 



TO THE READER. 

No cankring envy, malice, nor despite, 
Stirr'd vp these men so eagerly to flyte ; 
But generous emulation : So in playes, 
Best Actors flyte and raile, and thousand wayes 
Delight the itching eare ; So wanton curres, 
Wak'd with the gingling of a Courteours spurres, 
Barke all the night, and neuer seeke to bite ;— 
Such bravery these versers mou'd to write. 
Would all that now doe flyte would flyte like those, 
And lawes were made, that none durst flyte in prose ! 
How calme were then the world ! perhaps this law 
Might make some madding wiues to stand in aw, 
And not in filthy prose out-roare their men ; 
But read these Roundelayes to them, till then 
Flyting no reason hath ; and at this tyme, 
Heere it not stands by Reason, but by Ryme. 
Anger t* asswage, make Melancholy lesse, 
This Flyting first was wrote, — now tholes the presse. 
Who will not rest content with this Epistle, 
Let him sit downe and fly t, or stand and whistle. 



POLWART 

AND 

MOXTGOMERIE'S 
FLYTIXG. 



MONTGOMERIE TO POLWART. 

Polwart, yee peip like a mouse amongst thornes ; 
Xa cunning yee keepe ; Polwart, yee peip ; 
Ye look like a sheipe, and yee had twa homes : 
Polwart, ye peipe like a mouse amongst thornes. 

Beware what thou speiks, little foule earth tade ; 
With thy Cannigate breiks, beware what thou speiks, 
Or there sal be wat cheiks, for the last that thou made ; 
Beware what thou speiks, little foule earth tade. 

Foule mismade mytting, born in the Merse, 
By word and by wrytting, foule mismade mytting, 
Leaue off thy flytting, come kisse my erse, 
Foule mismade mytting, borne in the Merse. 

And we mell thou sail yell, little cultron cuist ; 
Thou salt tell euen thy sell, and we mell thou salt yell. 
Thy smell was sa fell, and stronger than muist ; 
And wee mell thou sail yell, little cultron cuist. 

Thou art doeand and dridland, like ane foule beast ; 
Fykand and fidland, thou art doeand and dridland, 
Strydand and stridland, like Robin red-brest : 
Thou art doeand and dridland, like ane foule beast. 

9 



104 THE FLYTING. 



POLWAUT S REPLY TO MONTGOMERIE. 

Despitfull spider ! poore of spreit, 
Begins with babling me to blame ? 
Gowke, wyt mee not to gar thee greit ; 
Thy tratling, truiker, I sail tame. 
When thou beleeues to win ane name, 
Thou sail be banisht of all beild, 
And syne receiue baith skaith and shame, 
And sa be forcde to leaue the field. 

Thy ragged roundels, raueand royt, 

Some short, some lang, some out of lyne, 

With scabrous colours, fulsom floyt, 

s Proceidand from an pynt of wyne, 

Quhilke halts for laike of feete like myne ; 

Yet, foole, thou thought na shame to wryte them, 

At mens command that laikes ingyne, 

Quhilke, doytted Dyvours ! gart thee dyte them. 

But, gooked goose, I am right glaide 
Thou art begun in write to flyte. 
Sen lowne thy language I haue laide* 
And put thee to thy pen to write, 
Now, dog, I sail thee sa dispyte, 
With pricking put thee to sike speid, 
And cause thee, curre, that warkloome quite, 
Syne seeke an hole to hide thy heide. 



THE FLYTING. 

Yel knaue, acknowledge thine offence, 
Or 1 grow crabbed, and sa claire thee. 
Ask mercie, make obedience 
In time, for feare leist I forfaire thee. 
Ill sprit, I will na langer spare thee. 
Blaide, blecke thee, to bring in a gyse ; 
And to drie pynnance soone, prepare thee ; 
Syne passe foorth as I sail devyse. 

First faire, threed-bair, with fundred feit, 
Recanting thy vnseemelie sawes, 
In pilgrimage to Alarite ; 
Syne bee content to quite the cause ! 
And in thy teeth bring mee the tawes, 
With beckes my bidding to abide, 
Whether thou wilt let belt thy bawes, 
Or kisse all cloffes that stands beside. 

And of thir twa take thou thy chose, 
For thy awin profite I procure thee, 
Or, with a prike into thy nose, 
To stand content, I sail conjure thee ; 
But at this, thinke I forbuir thee, 
Because I cannot treate thee fairer. 
Sit thou this charge, I will assure thee, 
The second sail bee something sairer. 



105 



106 THE FLYTTXG. 



MONTG01MERIE TO POLWAUT. u 

False fecklesse foulmart, loe heere a defyance : 
Ga sey thy science ; doe, Droigh, what thou dow. 
Trot, tyke, to a tow, mandrage but myance : 
Wee will heir tydance, peil'd Polwart, of thy pow. 
Many yeald yow hast thou cald ouer a know, [[them, 
Syne hid them in an how, starke theefe, when thou staw 
Menswering thou saw them, and made but a mow ; 
Syne filde in the row, when the men came that awe them. 

Thy dittay was death ; thou dare not deny it : 
Thy trumperie was tryed ; thy falset they fand : 
Burreaue the band, ". Cor mundum," thou cryed, 
Condemnde to bee dryde, and hung vp fra hand. 
While thou payde a pand, in that stowe thou did stand, 
With a willie wand thy skin was well scourged ; 
Syne feinzed lie forged, how thou left the land. 
Now, sirs, I demand, how this Pod can be purged ? 

Yet, wanshapen shit, thou shup sike a sunzie, 

As proude as yee prunzie, your pennes sail be plucked; 

Come kisse where I cuckied, and change mee that cunzie. 

Your gryses grunzie is gracelesse and gowked ; 

Your mouth must bee mucked, while yee bee instructed. 

Foule flirdome wanfucked, tersell of a taide ! 

Thy meter mismade hath lusilie lucked : 

I grant thou conducted thy termes in a slaide. 



THE FLYTINO. J 07 

Little angrie attercop, and auld vnsell aipe, 
Yee greine for to gaipe vpon the gray meir. 
Play with thy peir, or I'll pull thee like a Paipe ; 
Goe ride in a raipe for this noble new yeir. 
I promise thee heere, to thy chafts ill cheir, 
Except thou goe leir to licke at the lowder ; 
With Potingar's powder thy selfe thou ouer-smeir, 
The castell yee weir well seiled on your shoulder. 

This twise sealed trumper, with his trading hee trowes, 

Making vaine vowes, to match him with mee : 

With the print of a key, well brunt on thy browes, 

Now God sail bee crowes, wherefra come yee. 

For all your bombill, yet war'd a little wee t 

I thinke for to see you hing by the heilles, 

For termes that thou steiles of auld poetrie. 

Now wha sould trow thee, that's past baith the seils ? 

Proud, poysond pikthanke, perverse and perjured, 
I dow not indure it, to bee bitten with a duik ; 
I's fell thee like a fluike, flatlings on the flure. 
Thy scrows obscure are borowed fra some buike ; 
Fra Lindesay thou tooke ; thou'rt Chaucer's cuike ; 
Aye lying like a ruike, gif men wald not skar thee. 
But, beast, I debar thee the king's chimney nuike ; 
Thou flees for a looke, but I shall ride nare thee. 

False strydand stickdirt, I's gar thee stinke. 
How durst thou mint with thy master to mell ? 
On sike as thysell, little pratling pinke, 
Could thou not ware inke, thy tratling to tell ? 



108 THE PLYTING. 

Hoy, hurson, to hell, among the fiends fell, 
To drinke of that well that poysonde thy pen, 
Where deuils in their den, dois yammar and yell ; 
Heere I thee expell from all Christian men. 

POLWART TO MONTGOMERIE. 

Bleird, babling, bystour, baird obey ; 
Learne, skykilde knaue, to knaw thy sell, 
Vile vagaboimd, or I invey, 
Custroun, with cuffes thee to compel 1 . 
Yet, tratling Truiker, truth to tell, 
Stoup thou not at the second charge, 
Mischieuous mishant, wee sail mell, 
With laidlie language, loud and large. 

Where, Lowne, as thou loues thy life, 
I baith command and counsell thee 
For to eschew this sturtsome strife, 
And with thy manlie master gree. 
To this effect I counsell thee, 
By publicke proclamation, 
Gowke, to compeir vpon thy knee, 
And kisse my foull foundation. 

But, Lord ! I laugh to see the Bluiter, 
Glor in thy ragments, rash to raill, 
With mightie, manked, mangled meiter, 
Tratland and tumbland top ouertaill. 
As carlings counts their farts, doyld Snaill, 
Thy roustie ratrimes, made but mater, 
I could well follow, wald I sail], 
Or preasse to fish within thy water. 



THE FLYT1NG. 109 

Onelie because, Owle, thou does vse it, 
I will write verse of common Wnd, 
And, Swngeoi."', for thy s?ke refuse it, 
To crabe thee, Bumbler, by thy mind. 
Pedler, I pittie thee sa pinde. 
To buckle him that beares the bell ; 
Iacstro, bee better anes inginde, 
Or I shall flyte against my sel 1 . 

But breiflie, Beast, to an s were thee 

In sermon short I am content ; 

And sayes, thy similitudes vnslie 

Are na wayes verie pertinent : 

Thy tyrde comparisons a sklent, 

Are monstrous, like the mule that made them 

Thy borrowed barkings violent, 

Yet were they worse, let men out war them. 

Also I may bee Chaucer's man, 
And yet my master not the lesse 
But, Wolfe, that wastes on cup and kan, 
In gluttonie thy grace I guesse. 
Ga, drunken Dyuour, thee addresse, 
And borrow thee ambassed breikes ; 
To heare mee now thy praise expresse, 
Knaue, if thou can, without wat cheiks. 

First, of thy just genealogie, 
Tyke, I shall tell the truth I trow : 
Thou was begotten, some sayes mee, 
Betwixt the deuil and a dun kow, 



110 THE FLYTING. 

An night when that the fiend was few, 
At banket biriand at the beir ; 
Thou sowked syne an sw«it brod sow, 
Amang the middings, manie a yeire. 

On ruites and ranches in the fielde, 
With nolt, thou nurish'de was, a year, 
While that thou past, baith poore and peild, 
Into Argyle, some lair to leir ; 
As, the last night, did well appeire, 
When thou stood fidgeing at the fire, 
Fast fikand with thy Heiland cheir, 
My flyting fore'd thee so to Aire. 

Into the land where thou was borne, 
I read of nought but it was skant : 
Of cattell, cleithing, and of corne, 
Where wealth and welfaire baith doth want. 
Now, tade-face, take this for na tant, 
I heare your housing is right faire, 
Where howlring howlets aye doth hant, 
With Robin Red-brest, but repaire. 

The Lords and Lairds within that land, 
I knaw, are men of meikill rent 
And liuing, as I vnderstand ; 
Quhilke in an innes wee bee content 
To leiue, and let their house in Lent, 
In Lentron month and the lang sommer, 
Where twelue knights kitchins hath a vent, 
Quhilke for to furnish dois them cumber. 



THE FLYTING. Ill 

Fore store of lambes and lang-tailde wedders, 
Thou knawes where manie couples gaes, 
For stealing, tyed fast in tedders, 
In fellon flockes, in anes and twaes. 
Abroad, athort your bankes and braes, 
Yee doe abound in coale and calke; 
And thinkes like fooles, to fley all faes, 
With targets, tulzies, and toome talke. 

Alace ! poore Hood^piks hunger.bitten, 
Accustomde with scurrilitie, 
Ridand like boistures, all beshitten, 
In fields without fertilitie, 
Bare, barren w T ith sterilitie, 
For fault of cat t el, corne, and gerse; 
Your banquets of most nobilitie, 
Deare of the dog brawne in the Merse. 

Witlesse vanter, were thou wise, 
Custroun, thou wald " Cor mundum" cry. 
Ou'r-laiden lowne with lang-taikl lice, 
Thy doytit dy tings soone denie, 
Trouker, or I thy trumperie trie, 
And make a legend of thy life ; 
For, flyte I anes, folke will cry, " Fye!" 
Then thou'll bee war'd with euerie wife. 



112 THE FLYTING, 

polwart's MEDICINE TO MONTGOMERIE BEING 
SICKE. 

Sir Swingeour, seeing I want waves 
And salues, to slake thee of thy saires, 
This present from the pothecares, 
Mee think meet to amend thee. 

First, for thy feuer, feid on foly ; 
With fasting stomack, take old-oly 
Mixt with a mouthfull of melancholy, 
From fleame for to defend thee : 

Syne passe ane space, and smell a flowre ; 
Thy inward parts to purge and scowre, 
Tak thee three bites of an black howre, 
And ruebarb, bache and bitter. 

This duely done, but any din, 
Sup syne sex sops, but something thin, 
Of the diuell scald thy guts within, 
To heale thee of thy skitter. 

Vnto thy bed syne make thee bowne ; 
Take ane sweit syrop worth a crowne, 
And drink it with the diuell ga down, 
To recreat thy spreit. 

And, last of all, craig in a cord- 
Send for a powder, and pay for'd, 
Call'd the vengeance of the Lord, 
For thy mug mouth most meit. 



THE FLYTING. 



113 



Gif that preserue thee not fra paine, 
Passe to the pothingars againe ; 
Some recipies does yet remaine 

To heale bruik, byle, or blister, 

As diadragma, when yee dine, 
Or diabolicon wat, in wine, 
With powdar I drait, fellon fine, 
And mair yet when yee mister. 

montgomerie's answere to polwart. 

Vyle venemous viper, wanthriftiest of things, 
Halfe an Elfe, halfe ane Aipe, of nature deny it, 
Thou flait with a countrey, the quhilk was the Kings j 
But that bargan, vnbeast, deare sail thou buy it. 
" The cuff is weill waired, that twa hame brings." 
This prouerb, foule pelt, to thee is applyit ; 
First, spider of spyte, thou spewes out springs ; 
Yet, wanshapen' woubet, of the weirds invyit, 
I can tell thee, how, when, where, and wha gat thee ; 

The quhilk was neither man nor wife, 

Nor humane creature on life : 

Thou stinkand steirer vp of strife, 
False howlat, have at thee. 

In the hinder end of haruest, on Alhallow euen, 
When our good nighbours doe ryd, gif I read right, 
Some buckled on a bunwand, and some on a been, 
Ay trottand in trupes, from the twilight; 
Some sadleand a shoe Aip, all graithed into green, 



114 THE FLYTIXG. 

Some hobland on ane hempstalke, hoveand to the hight. 
The King of Pharie, and his court, with the Elfe Queen., 
With many elrich Incubus, was rydand that night. 
There ane Elf, on ane Aipe, ane vnsell begat/ 

Into ane pot, by Pomathorne ; 

That bratchart in ane busse was borne ; 

They fand ane monster, on the morne, 
War fac'd nor a Cat. 

The Weird Sisters wandring, as they were wont then^ 
Saw Reavens rugand at that Ratton, be a Ron ruit. 
They mused at the Mandrake, vnmade lik a man ; 
A Beast bund with a bonevand, in ane old buit. 
How that gaist had bein gotten, to gesse they began, 
Weil swyld in a swynes skin, and smerit ouer with suit ; 
The bellie that it first bair, full bitterly they ban. 
Of this mismade Mowdewart, mischief they muit. 
That cruiked, camschoche croyll, vncristned, they curse ; 

They bade that baiche sould not be but 

The glengore, gravell, and the gut, 

And all the plagues that first were put 
Into Pandoraes purse. 

The cogh and the connogh, the collicke and the cald, 
The cords and the cout-euill, the claisps and the cleiks, 
The hunger, the hart-ill, and the hoist, still thee hald ; 
The boch and the barbies, with the Cannigate breikes, 
With bockblood and beanshaw, speven sprung in the spald, 
The fersie, the falling-euill, that fels manie freikes, — 
Ouergane all with Angleberries, as thou growes aid, — 
Thekinkhost, thecharbuckle,andthewormes inthecheiks, 
The snuff and the snoire, the chaud-peece, the chanker, 



THE FLYTING. 115 

With the blads and the bellie-thraw, 
The bleiring bates and the beanshaw, 
With the mischiefe of the melt and maw, 
The clape and the canker,— 

The frencie, the fluxes, the fyke, and the felt, 
The feavers, the fearcie, with the speinzie flees, 
The doit and the dismail, indifferentlie delt, — 
The powlings, the palsay, with pockes like pees, 
The swerfe and the sweiting, with sounding to swelt, 
The weam-eill, the wild-fire, the vomit and the vees, 
The mair and the migrame, with the meathes in the melt, 
The warbles and the wood-worme, whereof dogs dies, 
The teasicke, the tooth- aike, the.tittes and the tirles, 

The painfull poplesie and pest, 

The rot, the roup, and the auld rest, — 

With paries and plurisies opprest, 
And nip'd with nirles. 

" Woe worth," quoth the Weirds, the wights that thee 

wroght ! 
Threed-bare bee their thrift, as thou art w r anthreivin ! 
Als hard bee their handsell, that helps thee to ought ! 
The rotten rim of thy wombe, with Rooke shall bee reivin. 
All bounds where thou bides, to baile shall bee brought ; 
Thy gall and thy guisserne to glaids shall bee given, 
Aye short bee thy solace ; with shame bee thou sought : 
In hell mot thou haunt thee, and hide thee from Heauen * 
And aye as thou auld growes, swa eikand bee thy anger, 
To liue with limmers and outlawes, 
With hurcheons eatand hips and hawes ; 



116 THE FLYTIXG. 

But when thou comes where the cocke crawes, 
Tarie there na 1 anger." 

" Shame and sorrow on her snout, that suffers thee to 

sowke ; 
Or shoe that cares for thy cradill, cauld bee her cast ; 
Or bringes anie bedding for thy blae bowke ; 
Or louses off thy lingals, sa lang as they may last; 
Or offers thee anie thing, all the lang owke ; 
Or first refresheth thee with foode, howbeit thou should 

fast ; 
Or when thy duddes are bedirtten, that giues them an 

dowk. 
All groomes, when thou greits, at thy ganting bee agast. 
Als froward bee thy fortune, as foull is thy forme. 
First, seuen yeires, bee thou dumbe and deiffe ; 
And after that, a common thieffe : 
Thus art thou marked for mischieffe, 
Foule vnworthie worme !" 

" Outrowde bee thy tongue ; yet tratling all times. 
Aye the langer that thou liues, thy lucke be the lesse. 
All countries where thou comes, accuse thee of crimes ; 
And false bee thy fingers, but loath to confesse : 
Aye raving and raging in rude rat-rimes. 
All ill bee thou vsand, and aye in excesse. 
like moone, bee thou mad, fra past bee the prime ; 
Still plagude with pouertie, thy pride to oppresse. 
With war wolfes and wild cates, thy weird bee to wander ; 

Draiglit throw dirtie dubes and dykes ; 

Tousled and tuggled with towne tykes. 

Say, lousie lyar, "what thou lykes ; 
Thy tongue is na slander/' 



THE FLYTING. 117 

Fra the sisters had seene the shape of that shit, 
€t Little lucke bee thy lot, there where thou lyes. 
Thy fowmart face/' quoith the first, " to flyt sal be fit." 
t€ Nicneuen," quoith the next, " sail norish thee twyse ; 
To ride post to Elphin, nane abler nor it." 
" To driue dogs but to drit," the third can deuyse : 
" All thy day, sail thou bee of an bodie but a bit. 
Als such is this sentence, as sharpe is thy syse." 
Syne duelie they deemde, what death it sould die. 
The first said, iC surelie of a shot ;" 
The second, — <c of a running knot ;" 
The third, — " be throwing of the throate, 
Like a tyke ouer a tree." 

When the Weird Sisters had this voted, all in an voyce, 
The deid of dablet, and syne they with- drew : 
To let it lye all alane, they thought it little losse, 
In a den bee a dyke, or the day dew. 
Then a cleir companie came soone after closse, 
Nicneuen w T ith her Nymphes, in number anew, 
With charmes from Caitness and Chanrie of Rosse, 
Whose cunning consists in casting of a clew ; 
They seeing this sairie thing, said to themselfe, 

" This thriftlesse is meit for vs, 

And for our craft commodious ; 

An vglie Ape, and Incubus, 
Gotten with an Elfe." 

Thir venerable Virgines, whom the world call Witches, 
In the time of their triumph, tirr'd mee the Taicle : 
Some backward raid on brod sows, and some on black 
bitches : 



118 THE FLYTIXG. 

Some, on steid of a staig, ouer a starke Monke straide. 
Fra the how to the hight, some hobles, some hatches ; 
With their mouthes to the moone, murgeons they maid. 
Some, be force, in effect, the foure windes fetches ; 
And, nyne times, withershins, about the thorne raid ; 
Some glowring to the ground ; some grieuouslie gaipe ; 

Be craft, conjurand fiends perforce. 

Foorth of a cairne beside a croce, 

Thir ladies lighted fra their horse, 
And band them with raipes* 

Some bare-foote and bare-leggde, to baptize that bairne, 

Till a water they went, be a wood- side; 

They fand then shit all beshitten in the awne shearne. 

On three headed Hecatus, to heire them, they cryde : 

<c As wee have found in the field this Findling forfairne, 

First, his faith hee forsakes, in thee to confyde, 

Be vertue of their words, and this raw yearne; 

And while this thrisethrettie knots on this blue threedbyd; 

And of thir mens members, well sowd to a shoe, 

Whilke wee haue tane, from top to tae, 

Euen of an hundreth men and mae : 

Now grant vs, Goddesse, or wee gae, 
Our dueties to doe." 

Be the hight of the heauens, and be the hownesse of hell, 
Be the windes, and the weirds, and the Charlewaine, 
Be the homes, the hand staff, and the king's ell, 
Be thunder, be fyreflaughtes, be drouth, and be raine^ 
Be the Poles, and the Planets, and the signes all twell, 
Be the mirknes of the Moone, — let mirknes remaine,^- 
Be the Elements all, that our crafts can compell, 



THE FLYTIXG. 119 

Be the Fiends infernally and the Furies in paine, — 
Gar all the gaists of the deid, that dwels there downe, 

In Lethe and Styx that stinkand strands, 

And Pluto, that your Court commands, 

Receiue this howlat aff our hands, 
In name of Mahowne ; 

That this worme, in our worke, some wonders may wirk ; 

And, through the poy son of this Pod, our pratiques prevaile 

To cut off our cumber from comming to the kirk, 

For the half of our helpe, and hes it heir haill. 

Let neuer this vndought, of ill doing irk ; 

But ay blyth to begin, all barret and baill. 

Of all blis let it be als bair as the birk ; 

That tittest the taidrell may tell ane ill taill : 

Let no vice in this warld, in this wanthrift be wanted. 

Be they had said, the fire-flaughts flew ; 

Baith thunder, raine, and winds blew ; 

Wherebe there comming, commers knew, 
Their asking was graunted. 

When thae Dames deuoutly had done their devore, 
In heauing this hurcheon, they hasted them hame. 
Of that matter to make, remained no more ; 
Sauing, nixt, how the Nunnes that working sould name. 
They k'owd all the ky trail, the face of it before ; 
And nippd it sa doones neir, to see it was shame : 
They calld it peild Polwaht. They pulld it so sore. 
" Where wee clip/' quoth the commers, " there needs na 

kame ; 
For wee haue heght to Mahoun, for handsel!, this hair/' 
They made it like ane scraped swyne ; 



120 THE FLYTING. 

And as they cowd, they made it whryne. 
It shavd the selfe, aye on sensyne, 
The beard of it sa baire. 

Fra the kummers, that Crab had with Pluto contracted, 

They promeist, as parants, syne, for their owne part, 

A mouer of mischiefe, and they might, for to make it ; 

As an Imp of all ill, maist apt for their Arte. 

Nicneuen, as nurish, to teach it, gart take it ; 

To saill sure in a seiffe, but compass or cart ; 

And milk of an hairne tedder, though wiues sould be 

wrackit, 
And the kow giue a chapin, was wont to giue a quart. 
Manie babes and bairnes sail blisse thy baire banes, 

When they haue neither milke nor meill ; 

Compelde for hunger for to steill : 

Then sail they giue thee to the deuill, 
Able ofte nor anes. 

Be ane after mid-night, their office was ended : 
At that tyd, was na time for trumpers to tarie : 
Syne backward, on horse*backe, brauely they bended ; 
That cammosed Cocatrice, they quite with them carie. 
To Kait of Criefe, in an creill, soone they gard send it ; 
Where, seuin yeir, it sat, baith singed and sairie, 
The kin of it, be the cry, incontinent kend it ; 
Syne fetch' t food for to feid it, foorth fra the Pharie. 
like Elfe of them all brought an almous house oster ; 

Indeid it was a daintie dish ; 

A foull flegmaticke foulsome fish : 

In steid of sauce, on it they pish, 
Sik foode feede sike a foster ! 



THE FLYTING. 121 

Syne, fra the fathers side finelie had fed it, 

Manie monkes and marmasits came with the mother ; — 

Blacke botch fall the breist and the bellie that bred it ! 

Ay offered they that vndoght, fra ane to another ; 

Where that smatched had sowked, so sair it was to shed it : 

But belyue it beganne to buckie the brother. 

In the barke of ane bourtree, whylome they bed it. 

All talking with their tongues, the ane to the other, 

With flirting and flyring, their physnome they flype; 

Some luikand lyce, in the crowne of it keeks ; 

Some choppes the kiddes into their cheeks ; 

Some in their oxster hard it cleeks, 
Like ane old bag-pipe. 

With mudyons, and murgeons, and mouing the braine, 
They lay it, they lift it, they louse it, they lace it, 
They graip it, they grip it ; it greets, and they grane. 
They bed it, they baw it, they bind it, they brace it. 
It skittered and skarted ; they skirled ilk ane : 
All the ky in the countrey, they skarred and chased, 
That roaring they wood-ran, and routed in a reane. 
The wild deere fra their den, their din has displaced. 
The cry was sa ouglie, of elfes, aips, and owles, 

That geise and gaislings cryes and craikes ; 

In dubs douks down, duiks and draikes ; 

All beasts, for feir, the feilds forsakes ; 
And the towne tykes yowles. 

Sik a mirthlesse musick their menstralls did make, 
Whill ky kest caprels behind with their heeles ; 
Litill tent to their time, the toone leit them take, 
But ay rammeist redwood, and raveld in their reeles. 



122 THE FLYT1KG. 

Then the cummers that yee ken, came all with a clak, 
To coniure that coidyoch, with clewes in their creeles ; 
Whill all the bounds them about, grew blaikned and blak : 
For the din of thir daiblets raisd all the deils. 
To concurre in the cause they were come sa far ; 

For they their god-bairne giftes wald give, 

To teach the child to steale and reiue ; 

And ay the langer that it liue, 
The warld souid be the Avar. 

polwart's third flytting against montgomerie. 

Infernall, frawart, feaming furies fell, — 
Curst, cankerd, crabed Clotho, helpe to quell 
Yon caribald, yone catiue execrabill, 
Provyd my pen, profoundly to distell 
Some dure despite, to daunt yon diuell of hell, 
And dryve, with doole, to death detestabill, 
This mad, malitious, monster, miserabill ; 
Ane tyke tormented, trotting out of toone, 
That rymes red-wood, at ilk mids of the moone. 

Renew your roaring rage and eager ire, 

Inflamd with fearefull thundring thuddes of fyre, 

To plague this poysond pykthank, pestilent. 

With flying fyreflaughts burning bright and skyre, 

Devoir yon devilish dragon, I desire ; 

And wast his wearied venome violent. 

Coniure this beastly beggar, impotent. 
Suppresse all power of this euill spirit, 
That bydes and barkes in him, als black as jeit. 



THE FLYTIXG. 123 

But, reikie Rooks and Ravens, or yee ryue him, 
Desist, delay his death, whill I descriue him ; 
Syne rypely to his railing rude reply. 
To dreadfull dolour, dearfly or ye dryve him, 
Throw Plutoes power, pleasure to depryue him, 
The lowne may lick his vomit, and deny 
His shameles sawes ; like Sathans slavish smy ; 
Whose maners with his mismade members heir 
Doe correspond ; as plainly doth appeir : 

*His peilled pallat and vnplesant pow, 
The fulsome flocks of flies doth ouerflow 
With warns and wounds ; all blaikned full of blains 
Out ouer the neck. Athort his nitty now, 
like louse lyes linkand, like a large lint bow, 
That hurts his harns, and pearse them to his pains ; 
W 7 hill wit and vertue vanishd fra the vaines ; 
With scartes and scores, athort his frozen front, 
In rankels run, within the stewes all brunt. 

His lugs baith lang and leane, wha can but lacke, 
That to the Tron hes tane so many a tacke ? 
With blasted bowels, bowden with bruised blude ; 
And hapning haires blawin withersuns aback. 
Foot foundred beasts, for fault of food, full weake, 
Hes not their hair sa snod as other good. 
The bleared Bucke and boystrous, to conclude, 

Hes right trim teeth, somewhat set in a thraw ; 

Ane topped turde, right teughly for to taw. 



124 THE FLYTIXG. 

With laidly lips, and lyning side turnd out ; 

His nose weill lit in Bacchus blood about ; 

His stinking end, corrupted as men knawes ; 

Contagious cankers, carues his snafling snout ; 

His shaven shoulders shawes the marks, no dout, 

Of teugh tarladders, tyres, and other tawes, 

And girds of Galeyes growand now in gawes. 
Swa all his fousome forme thereto effeirs, 
The quhilk, for filth, I will not fyle your eirs. 

THE SECOND PART OF POLWART'S THIRD FLYTTING. 

Bvt of his conditions, to carp, for a while, 

And count you his qualities compast with cair, — 

Appardon mee, Poets, to alter my style, 

And wissle my verse, for fyling the aire. 

Returning directly again e to Argyle, 

Where last that I left him baith barefoote and bair, 

Where right] ie I reckoned his race verie vyle, 

Discending of deuils, as I did declare ; — 

But quhilk e of the gods will guide me aright ? 

Abhorring so abominable, 

Sa doolefull and detestable, 

Sa knauish, cankerde, excrable, 
And waried a wight ? 

In Argyle, amang gaites hee gead within glennes ; 
Aye there vsing offices of a bruit beast, 
Whill blislesse was banish'd, for handling of hens ; 
Syne forward to Flanders, fast fled, or hee ceast. 



THE FLYTING. 125 

From poor anes, the pultrie, he plucked be the pens ; 
Delighting in theft ; the heart of his brest, 
And courage, inclin'd to knauerie, men kennes, 
To pestilent purposes plainlie hee preast. 
But truelie, to tell all the trueth vnto you. 
In no wayes was hee wise ; 
Hee vsed both carts and dyce, 
And fled no kind of vyce, 
Or few, as I trow. 

Hee was an false schismaticke, notoriouslie named ; 
Both whoredome, and homicide, vnsell hee vsed ; 
With all the seuen sinnes, the smatched was shamed ; 
Pride, Ire, and Envie, this vndought abused. 
For greedie covetousnesse, bitterlie blamed ; 
For bawdrie, and bordelling, lucklesse hee loued ; 
Thirst, drynes, and drunkennes, that dyvour defamed ; 
False, fenzit, with flytting and flattery infused ; 
Maist sinfull and sensuall ; shame to reherse ! 

Whose fecklesse foolishnes 

And beastly bruklenes, 

Can no man, as I gesse, 
Weill put into verse. 

An warloch, an warwolfe, an voubet but haire, 
An deil and a dragon, an deid dromadarie, 
An counterfoot costroun, that does clarks not cair, 
An clauering cohoobie, that crack es of the pharie ; 
Whose fauourlesse phisnomie doth dewlie declare 
His vices and viciousnesse. Although I wald varie, 
Arcandam's astrologie, an lanterne of laire, 
Affirmes hes bleardnesse, to wisedome contrarie, 



126 THE FLYTING. 

Betaikning baith babling and baldnesse of age, 
Great fraud and foule deceit 
Cappit with quyet conceit ; 
Witnesse some verse he wreit, 
Halfe daft in a rage. 

His Anagrame, also, concerning that race, 
Sayes surelie, its a signe of a lecherous lowne. 
His palenesse next, partlie with browne in the face, 
Arcandam ascriues to babling aye bowne, 
And trading intemperat, tymelesse, but place ; 
A cowart, yet cholericke, and drunke in ilke towne. 
And als his asse eares, they signe in short, space, 
The franticke foole sail grow madde like Mahowne, 
But yet sail hee liue lang, whilke, alace ! were a losse ; 

For sike a tryed traitour 

And babling blasphematour 

Was neuer form'd of nature,— 
Sa gooked a goose. 

Whose origine noble, the note of his name, 
CaFd Etimologie, beires rightlie record : 
His surname doth flow fra two termes of diffame, — 
From Mont and Gomora, where deuils, be the Lord, 
His kinsmen, was cleinlie cast out ; to his shame, 
That is of their clane, whom Christ hath abhorde ; 
And beiris of the birth place their horrible name, 
Where Sodomite sinners with stinking were smor'd. 
Now sen all is suith that's said of this smy, 
Vnto that capped clarke, 
And prettie piece of warke, 
That bitterlie doth barke, 
I may this reply. 

2 



THE FLYTING. 127 



POLWART S LAST FLYTTING AGAINST MONTGOMERIE. 

Vyle villaine, vaine, and war nor I haue tald thee, 

Thy withered wame is damnified and dry'd. 

Beshitten boystour, baldlie I forbad thee 

To mell with mee, or else thou shuld deare buy it. 

Thy speach but purpose, sporter, is espyed, 

That wry tes of witches, warlocks, wraith, and wratchs ; 

But invectiues against him well defyed, 

Rob Steuin, thou raues, forgetting whom thou matches. 

Leaue boggles, brownies, gyr-carlings, and gaists ; 
Dastard, thou daffes, that with such divilrie mels. 
Thy peild preambles ouer prolixly lasts ; 
Thy reasons savors of reeke, and nothing else : 
Thy sentences of suit sa sweitlie smels ; 
Thou sat sa neir the chimney nuik, that made them, 
Fast be the ingle, amang the orster shels, 
Dreidand my danger, durst not well debate them. 

Thy trading, truiker, wald gar taids spew, 

And carle cats weepe vinegar with their eine. 

Thou said, I borrowed blads ; that is not trew : 

The contrarie, false smatchet, shall bee seene. 

I neuer had of that making ye meine, 

A verse in writ, in print, or yet perqueir ; 

Quhilke I can proue, and cleanse mee wonder cleine ; 

Though single words, no writer can forbeir. 



128 THE FLYTING. 

To proue my speeches probable and plaine, 
Thou must confesse, thou vsed my invension : 
I reckoned first thy race ; syne thou againe, 
In that same sort, made of thy maister mention. 
Thy wit is weake, with mee to have dissention, 
For to my speech thou neuer made reply. 
At libertie to lye, is thy intention : 
I answere aye, whilke thou cannot deny. 

Thy friends are fiendes ; of apes thou fenzies mine ; 
With my assistance, saying all thou can. 
I count sike kindred better yet nor mine, — 
Chieflie of beasts that most resemble man. 
Grant, gif that my invention wars thine then, 
Without the whilk thou might haue barked waist : 
I laid the ground whereon thou best began 
To big the brig whereof thou brags maist. 

Thy lacke of iudgement may bee als perceaued. 
Thir twa chiefe points of reason wants in thee : 
Thou attributes to aipes, where thou hes reaued, 
The ills of horse ! an monstrous sight to see. 
Na maruell though ill won, ill waired bee ; 
For all these ills thou staw, I am right certaine, 
From Semples dytements of an horse, did die, 
Of Porterfieldes, that dwelt into Dumbartane. 

Among the ills of aipes, that thou hes tauld, 
Though to an horse pertaining properlie, 
Thou puts the spauen in the forder spauld, 
That vses in the hinder hogh to bee. 



THE FLYTING. 129 

Fra horse-men anes thy cunning heare and see, 
I feare aukl Allane get na maire adoe : 
Alace, poore man ! hee may lye downe and die, 
Syne thou's succeed to weare the siluer shoe. 

Farder thou flees with other fowles wings, 
Ouer-cled cleirer with collours than thy awne, 
But speciallie with some of Semple's things, 
Or for an plucked goose, thou had beene knawne ; 
Or like an Cran, in mounting soone o'rethrowen, 
That must take aye nine steps before shee flye ; 
So in the gout thou might haue stand and blawen, 
As lang as thou lay grauelled, like to die. 

I speak not of thy vitious diuisions, 
Wher thou pronounces, and yet propones but part ; 
Incumbred with sa manie tryed confusions : 
Quhilke shawes thy ryme but rhetoricke or arte. 
Thy memorie is short, — beshrew thy heart ! — 
Telling an thing ouer, twise or thrise at anes ; 
And can not from an proper place depart, 
Except I were to frig thee with whin stanes. 

The things I said, gif that thou wold deny, 
Meaning to wry the veritie with wyles ; 
Lick where 1 laid, and pickle of that pye : 
Thy knavery credence fra thee quite exyles ; 
Thy feckles folly all the aire defyles : — 
I find sa many faults, ilk ane ouer other, 
First, I must tell thee all thy statly styles, 
And syne bequeath thee to thy birken brother. 



130 THE FLYTING. 

Fond flytter, shit shytter, bacon bytter, all defyld ! 
BJunt bleittar, paddock pricker, puddin eiter, perverse, 
Hen plucker, closet mucker, house cueker, very vyld ! 
Tanny cheeks, I think thou speiks with thy breeks, foul- 
Woodtyk, hoodpyk, ay like to Hue in lacke, []erse. 

Flowre the pin, scabbed skin ! eat it in that thou spake. 

Gume gade, balde skade, foule faid ! why flait thou, foole ? 
Steil yow, fill tow, thou dow not defend thee. 
Quha kend thy end, false fiend, phantastick mule, 
Thief smy ! they wald cry, fy ! fy ! to gar end thee. 
Sweir sow, doyld kow, ay fow, foull fall thy banes ! 
Very wyld, defyld, ay wood wyld. ilk moneth anes. 

Tary tade, thous defate ; now debate, if thou dow. 
Hush padle, lick ladle, shyt sadle ! doe thy best. 
Creishie soutter, shoe cloutter, minch moutter ! dar thou 

mow. 
Ragged railer, sheep stealer, double dealer! thou'sbe drest. 
Fals preif, leane thiefe ! mischief fall thy lippes. 
Blaird beard ! thy reward is prepard for thy hippes. 

Erse slaiker, gleyd glaiker, roome raiker, for releife, 
Lunatick, frenatick, schismatick, swingeour ! sob. 
Turd facd, ay chasd, almaist fyld for a theife, 
Misly kyt ! and thou flyt, He dryt in thy gob. 
Tait mow, wilde sow ! soone bow, or I wand thee, 
Hell ruik ! with thy buik, leave the nuik, I command thee. 

Land lowper, light skowper, ragged rowper, like a raven, 
Halland shaker, draught raiker, bannock-baiker, all be- 
shitten. 



THE FLYTING. 131 

Craig in perill, toome the barrel ! quyt the quarrel, or be 

shauen. 
Rude ratler, common tratler, poore pratler, out flitten, 
Hell spark, scabbed dark ! and thou bark, I sail belt thee. 
Skade scald ouerbald ! soone fald, or I melt thee. 

Lowsie lugs, leape jugs ! toome the mugs on the midding, 
Tanny flank, redshank, pykthank ! I must pay thee. 
Spew bleck, widdie neck ! come and beck at my bidding. 
False lowne ! make the bowne ; Mahowne mon have thee. 
Rank ruittour, scurlie whittour! and Iuittour, nanefower, 
Decrest, opprest, possest with Plutoes power. 

Capped knaue, proud slaue ! ye raue ay vnrocked ; 
Whiles slaverand, whils taverand, whiles waverand with 

wine. 
Greedy gouked, poore and pluked, ill instructed ! ye's be 

knoked. 
Gleyd gangrell, auld mangrell ! to the hangrell, and sa 

pyne. 
Calumniatour, blasphematour, vyle creature vntrew ! 
Thy cheiping and peiping, wiih weiping thou salt rew. 

Mad manter, vaine vaunter, ay haunter in slauery, 
Pudding pricker, bang the bicker ! nane quicker in kna- 
very. 
Kailly lippes, kisse my hips, into grips thou's behind. 
Baill brewer, poison spewer ! mony truer hes bein pind. 
Swyne keiper, land leiper, tuird steiper from the drouth, 
Leanelimmer, steale gimmer ! I sail skimmer in thy mouth. 



132 THE FLYTING. 

Fleyd foole, mad muile ! die with doole on ane aike. 
Knaue kend ! Christ send ill end on thee now ! 
Pudding wright ! out of sight thou's be dight, like a draik. 
lock Blunt, thrawin frunt ! kisse the kunt of the kow. 
Purse peiler, hen steiler, cat killer i now I quell thee. 
Rubiatour, fornicatour by nature, foull befall thee ! 

Tyk stickar, poysond viccar, pot lickar ! I mon pay thee. 
Feard flyar, loud lyar, gooked gleyar on the gallows, 
lock Blunt, deid runt ! I sail dunt whill I slay thee. 
Buttrie bag, fill knag ! thou will rag with thy fellows,-— 
Tyrd clatterer, skin batterer, and flatterer of friends, 
Vyld widdered, misordered, confedered with fiends ! 

Blind brock, loose dock, bord block, banishd townes, — 
Alace, theifs face ! na grace for that grunzie ; 
Beld bisset marmissed, lansprezed to the lownes, 
Deid dring, dry'd sting ! thou will hing but a sunzie. 
Lick butter, throat cutter, fish gutter ! fill the fetter ; 
Come bleitand and greitand, fast eitand thy laidley letter. 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 



We are indebted for nearly the whole of this portion of the 
volume, comprising Montgomery's Miscellaneous Poems, 
to the Drummond MS* in which alone they are supposed 
now to exist. The exceptions are, — the Verses in praise of 
Lady Margaret Montgomery, luhich are to he found in 
the Manuscript Collections of early Scotish Poetry, by Sir 
Richard Maitland of Lethington, now preserved in the 
Pepysian Library, Magdalene College, Cambridge :• — 
With the two Invectives, and the poem, " Quhy sowld I 
hive/' which are given from the Bannatyne Manuscript, 
in the Library of the Faculty of Advocates, Edinburgh. 
The Solsequium, or the Lover s comparing himself with 
the Sun- Flower, is common to both the Edinburgh MSS. 
and printed with almost every edition of the Cherrie and 
the Slae. 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 



A DESCRIPTION OF TYME. 
I. 

Tak tyme in tym, or tym will not be tane ; 
Thairfor tak tent hou thou this tyme said tak : 
Sho hes no hold, to hold hir by, bot ane ; 
A toppe befor, bot beld behind hir bak. 
Let thou hir slippe, or slipperly grou slak, 
Thou gettis no grippe agane fra sho be gane. 
If thou wald speid, remember vhat I spak ; 
Tak tyme in tyme, or tym will not be tane, 

II. 
For I haif hard in adagies of auld, 
That tyme dois waist and weir all things auay ; 
Then.trou the taill that treu men oft hes tauld — 
A turne in tyme is ay worth other tuay. 
Siklyk, I haif hard oft-tymis suith men say, 
That negligence zit nevir furtherit nane ; 
Als, seindle tymis luck foloues long delayis, 
Tak tyme in tyme, or tyme will not be tane. 



136 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

THE OPPOSITIONE OF THE COURT TO CONSCIENCE. 
I. 

The Court and Conscience wallis not weill ; 

These tua can nevir weill accord. 

Quha leivis in Court and halds him leill, 

Lang or that lyf mak him a lord ; 
And Conscience stenzies if he steill : 
So Court and Conscience wallis not weill. 

II. 

The Court some qualities requyrs 

Quhilk Conscience can not bot accuse ; 

And, specially, sik as aspyris 

Mon honest Adulation wse ; 
I dar not say, and doubly deill : 
Bot Court and Conscience wallis not weill. 

III. 

First thou mon preis thy Prince to pleis, 
Thoght contrare Conscience he commands, 
With Mercuri's mouth, and Argo's eis, 
And with Briarius' hundreth hands ; 

And seme vhatsoever he sayis to seill. 

So Court and Conscience wallis not weill. 

IV. 

Syn evirie minioun thou man mak 
To gar thame think that thou art thairs, 
Houbeit thou be behind thair bak 
No furtherer of thair effairs, 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 137 

Bot mett thame moonshyn ay for meill. 
So Court and Conscience wallis not weill. 

V. 

To pleis men vhen thou art imployde, 
Give glorifluikims in thair face ; 
Quhilks wald be cunningly convoyde, 
To gar thame haif the griter grace, 

To mak thame fonde that hes no feill. 

So Court and Conscience wallis not weill. 



ANE INtECTIONE AGAINST FORTUN ; 

Conteiiiing ane Admonitione to his Fnends at Court. 

I. 

Not Clio nor Calliope I chuse ; 

Megera, thou must be my mirthles Muse, 

For to inspyre my spreit with thy despyte, 
And with thy fervent furie me infuse, 
Quhat epithets or arguments till vse, 

With fals and feinzed fortun for to flyte. 

Both wey my words and waill my verse to wry te, 
That curst inconstant Cative till accuse, 

Quhais variance of all my wois I wyt. 

II. 

Sho is mair mobile mekle nor the mone : 
It keeps a course, and changis not so sone, 

Bot in ane ordour waxis ay and wanis ; 
Sing sho tua notis, the one is out of tone, 



138 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

As Bacre lau and B moll far abone ; 

In mesur not a moment sho remanes. 

Sho givis by gesse ; sho weyis no gold by granes. 
Hir doings all ar vndiscreitly done, 

Without respect of persons or of pains. 

III. 

For men of merit sho no mater maks : 
Bot vhen a toy intill hir heid sho taks, 

But ryme or reson or respect to richt, 
The worthiest and valiantest sho wraks, 
And honours out-waills forwnworthie acts ; 

As of a Kitchin knaive to mak a Knicht, 

That witch, that warlok, that vnworthie wicht 
Turnis ay the best men tittest on thair bakis ; 

Syn settis vp sik as somtym war bot slycht. 

IV. 

Quhen with a quhisk sho quhirlis about hir quheill, 
Rude is that rattill running with a reill, 

Quhill top ouer tail goes honest men at ains. 
Then spurgald sporters they begin to speill ; 
The cadger dims, neu cleikit from the creill ; 

And ladds vploips to lordships all thair lains : 

Doun goes the bravest, brecking all their banis. 
Sho works hir will ; God wot if it be weill. x 

Sho stottis at strais, syn stumbillis not at stanis. 

V. 

How sho suld hurt or help sho neuer huiks. 
Luk as it lyks, sho laughis and neuer luiks, 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 139 

Bot wavers lyk the widdircok in wind. 
Sho counts not Kings nor Cazards mair nor Cuiks. 
Reid bot hou scho hes bleckit Bocas buiks ; 

Thairin the fall of Princes sail ze find. 

That bloodie Bitch, that buskit belly blind 
Dings dounuards ay the duchtiest lyk Duiks ; 

Quha hopped highest oft tyms comes behind. 

VI. 

I neid not nou to nominat thair names 

Quhom sho hes shent, and dayly shifts and shames ; 

That longsome labour wold be ou'r prolixt : 
Zour selfis may sie, I think, a thousand thames 
Quhilks Poets, as hir pursevants, proclames. 

Hir fickle freindship is not firmely fixt : 

Quhair ane is nou his nichtbour may be nixt. 
Sho causles culzies, and but fait defames ; 

Hir mirrines with missheif ay is mixt. 

VII. 

Thairfor, my freinds vha nevir feirs to fall, 
Resaiv my eirnest admonition all. 

Quhillis ze ar w T eill I wi$h zou to be war. 
Remember, shirs, that somtym ze war small ; 
And may be zit : I w T ill not say ze sail ; 

For, I confes, that w r ar a fut too far. 

Houbeit ze think my harrand something har, 
Quhen ze leist wein, zour baks may to the wall. 

Things byds not ay in ordour as they ar. 



140 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 



VIII. 

Tak tyme in tyme, and to my taill tak tent ; 
Let ze it pass, perhaps, ze may repent, 

And wish it war, vhen ze may want zour will. 
Had Caesar sene the cedul that wes sent, 
Ze wat he had not with the wicked went, 

Quha war concludit causles him to kill : 

Bot in his bosome he put vp that bill ; 
The vhilk at last, thoght lait, maid him repent : 

His vnadvertence only did him ill. 

IX. 

Judge of zour self by Julius, my joyes, 

Quhais fenzeid freinds wer worse then open foes, 

If that ze stand not in a stagring stait. 
Think ze that sho will thole zou more nor those 
Quha war zour auin companzons, I suppose, — 

Quhom sho gart slyde, or ze sat on thair seat ? 

Some got a blind, vho thoght they war not bleat. 
Chuse or refuse my counsel ; tak zour chose, 

Fairweill, my freinds, I bot with fortun fleat. 



THE POET S COMPLAINT OF HIS NATIVITIE. 
I. 

Since that the Hevins are hinderers of my hap, 
And all the starris so strange against me stand, 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 141 

Quhy kild not Jove me with his thunder clap, 
Hou soon the midwyfe held me in hir hand ? 
Quhy wald not Mercure with his wrethin wand 
Depry ve me baith of senses, wit, and shape, — 
Since that the Hevins ar hinderers of my hap ? 

II. 

Quhy thoild my mothers bouels me to breath ? 

Quhy wes hir belly not my bureall bed ? 

Quhy wes not hir dely verie my death ? 

Quhy suelt I not, so soon as we wer shed ? 

Quhy come the Muses and my cradle cled ? 

Quhat movit these Vestal Virgins me to wrap, — 
Since that the Hevins ar hinderers of my hap ? 

III. 

Quhy wes my mother blyth vhen I wes borne ? 

Quhy heght the Weirds my weilfair to advance ? 

Quhy w T es my birth on Eister day at morne ? 

Quhy did Apollo then appeir to dance ? 

Quhy gaiv he me good morou with a glance ? 
Quhy leugh he in his golden chair and lap, — 
Since that the Hevins ar hinderers of my hap ? 

IV. 

Quhy had he me to Helicon to heive ? 
Quhy wes I novece to the Nobles nyne ? 
Quhy did the Gods for godbarne-gift me geive 
Ambrosian bread and hevinly nectar wyn ? 
To quintessence a goldin grave ingyne, 



142 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

Both for invention and for uttrance apt, — 
Since that the Hevins ar hinderers of my hap ? 

V. 

Quhy wes I nurisht with the noble Nymphs ? 

Quhy wes I fostred for to flie with fame ? 

For drinking of these Ladyis hallouit lymphs, 

Extold among ye rare men wes my name. 

Quhy did Apollo Poet me proclame, 

To cleith my heid with his grene Laurell Cap,— 
Since that the Hevins ar hinderers of my hap ? 

VI. 

Quhat helpeth me, thought Maia or Minerve 
With hevinly fury haif my spreit infusde ? 
Quhat do these sacred ceremonies serve, 
Quhilks they haif on thair auin adoptit wsde ? 
Quhat profits me vhom fortun hes refusde, 

Thoght with my King in credit once I crap, — 
Since that the Hevins ar hinderers of my hap ? 

VII. 

Quhy wes my will to vertue mair then vyce ? 

Quhy wes I faithfull, and refusde to fane ? 

Quhy soght I aye warme water vnder yce, 

Quhair w T ylis availls and veritie is vane ? 

Forgive me this, and if I do it agane, 
Then tak me with the foxis taill a flap, 
Since that the Hevins are hinderers of my hap. 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS 143 



THE TOET S COMPL AXTE AGAIXST THE WXKYXDXES 
OF HIS COMPANIONS VHEX HE WAS IN PRISONE. 

No wonder thoght I waill and weip. 

That womplit am in woes. 
I sigh, I sobbe, vhen I suld sleep ; 

My spreit can not repose. 
My persone is in prisone pynit, 
And my companions so vnkind, 
Melancholie mischeivis my mind, 

That I can not rejose. 

So long I lookit for releif, 

Vhill trewlie nou I tyre ; 
My guttis ar grippit so with grief, 

It eitis me vp in yre. 
The fremmitnes that I haif felt, 
For syte and sorrou garris me suelt, 
And maks my hairt within me melt 

Lyk waxe befor the fyre. 

Quhen men or wemen visitis me, 

My dolour I disguyse, 
By outuard sight that nane may sie 

Quhair inward langour lyis. 
Als patient as my pairt appeirs, 
With hevy hairt, vhen no man heirs, 
For baill then burst I out in teirs, 

Alane with cairfull cryis. 



144 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

All day I wot not vhat to do, 

I loth to sie the licht ; 
At evin then 1 am trublit to ; 

So noysum is the nicht. 
Quhen Natur most requyrs to rest, 
With pausing so I am opprest* 
So mony things my mynd molest, 

My sleiping is bot slicht. 

Remembring me vhair I haif bene 

Both lykit and belov't, 
And nou sensyne vhat I haif sene, 

My mynd may be commov't. 
If any of my dolour dout, 
Let ilkane sey thair tym about : 
Perhaps vhois stomok is most stout, 

Its patience may be prov't, 

I sie, and namely nou a dayis, 
All is not gold that gleitis ; 

Nor to be seald, that ilkane sayis ; 
Nor water all that weitis. 

Sen fristed goods ar not forgivin, 

Quhen cup is full, then hold it evin ; 

For man may meit at unsetstevin, 
Thoght montanis nevir meits. 

Then do as ye wald be done to, 

Belovit brethren all ; 
For, out of doubt, quhat so ye do > 

Resaiv the lyk ye sail. 
10 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 145 

And with quhat mesur ze do mett, 
Prepair again the lyk to gett. 
Zour feet ar not so sicker sett, 
Bot fortun ze may fa n . 



A LATE REGRATE OF LEIRNING TO LOVE. 
I. 

Quhat mightie motione so my mynd mischeivis ? 
Quhat vncouth cairs throu all my corps do creep ? 
Quhat restles rage my resone so bereivis ? 
Quhat maks me loth of meit, of drink, of sleep ? 
I knou not nou vhat countenance to keep 
For to expell a poysone that I prove. 
Alace ! alace ! that evir I leirn'd to love. 

II. 

A frentick fevir thrugh my flesh I feill ; 

I feill a passione can not be exprest ; 

I feill a by 11 within my bo sum beill ; 

No Cataplasme can weill impesh that pest. 

I feill my self with seiknes so possest, 

A madnes maks my mirth from me remove. 

Alace ! alace ! that evir I leam'd to love. 

III. 

My hopeles hairt, vnhappiest of hairts, 
Is hoild and hurt with Cupid's huikit heeds, 
And thirlit throu with deidly poysond dairts, 
That inwardly within my breist it bleids. 

K 



146 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

Zit fantasie my fond affection feeds 
To run that race but ather rest or rove. 
Alace ! alace ! that evir I leirn'd to love. 

IV. 

Nou sie I that I nevir sau afore ; 
Nou knou I that, vhill nou, I nevir kneu ; 
Nou sie Layeill that servitude is sore : 
Bot vhat remend ? It is no tym to reu ; 
Quhair Love is Lord, all libertie adeu. 
My baill is bred by destinies above. 
Alace ! alace ! that evir I leirn'd to love. 

V. 

All gladnes nocht bot aggravats my grief ; 
All mirrines my murning bot augments. 
Lamenting toons best lyks me for relief, 
My sicknes soir to sorou so consents ; 
For cair the cairfull commounly contents ; 
Sik harmony is best for thair behove. 
Alace ! alace ! that evir I leirn'd to love. 

VI. 

I felt, fra anis I entred in that airt, 
A grit delyte that leson for to leir, 
Quhill I become a prentise ou'r expert ; 
For, but a book, I cund it soon perqueir. 
My doctours wage and deuty will be deir, 
I grant, except I get hir jelous glove. 
Alace ! alace ! that evir I leirn'd to love. 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 147 

A COUNSELL AGANST DISPAIR IN LOVE. 
I. 

Drie furth the inch, as thou lies done the span, 
My gentle hairt, and die not in dispair. 
I sheu the, first vhen thou to love began, 
It wes no moues to raell with Love's lair; 
Thou wald not ceis till thou wes in that snair : 
Think of it nou as thou thoght of it than ; 
With patience thou mayst thy self prepair 
To drie the inch, as thou hes done the span. 

II. 

Quhat meins thou nou fra thou be in hir waird ? 

Thy libertie, alace ! it is to lait. 

Except hir grace thou hes no other gaird. 

Thair is no chose, for nou thou art chekmait. 

Thair is no draught that dou mak the debait. 

Thou art inclosde, for all the craft thou can. 

With patience persaiv thy auin estait. 

Drie furth the inch, as thou hes done the span. 

III. 

The mair thou grudgis, the griter is thy grief. 
The mair thou sighis, the mair thou art ou'rsett. 
The mair thou ]oipis, the les is thy relief. 
The mair thou flings, the faster is the net. 
The mair thou feghts, the mair thou art defett. 
The mair behind, the faster that thou ran. 
Tak patience, sen dolour peyis no dett. 
Drie furth the inch, as thou hes done the span. 



148 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 



IV. 

Zit werie not, thoght of thy will thou want. 

I am assuird that shortly thou sail sie 

Thy Love and Lady grace vnto the grant, 

Sa far as may stand with hir honestie ; — 

Hir gentlenes and hir humanitie 

War advocats till thou thy proces wan ; — 

Provyding aluayis thou suld stedfastly 

Drie furth the inch, as thou hes done the span. 

V. 

Then mak thy self als mirrie as thou may ; 
The tyme may come thou longis for so fast, 
Rome wes not biggit all vpon ane day, 
And zit it wes compleitit at the last. 
Of all thy pains account the perrils past ; 
For vhy ? sho is not come of Cresseid's clan. 
Be glade, thairfor, and be no more agast ; 
Drie furth the inch, as thou hes done the span. 

VI. 

O noblest Nymph of Naturs nurishing, 

O most excellent only A per se, 

O fairest flour in firmnes florishing, 

O treuest turtle, root of constancie, 

O worthie wicht both wyse and womanlie, 

O myn but mo ! shau mercy to thy man, 

To plesur him vho dois so patiently 

Drie furth the inch, as he hes done the span. 



MICELLANEOUS POEMS. 149 



ECHO. 



To the, Echo, and thou to me agane, 
In the deserts among the wods and wells, 
Quhair destinie hes bund him to remane, 
But company within the firths and fells, 
Let vs complein, with wofull zouts and zells, 
On shaft and shotter that our harts hes slane ; 
To the, Echo, and thou to me agane. 

Thy pairt to mine may justlie be compaird 
In mony poynts, vhilk both we may repent. 
Thou hes no hope, and I am clene dispaird ; 
Thou tholis but caus, I suffer innocent ; 
Thou does bewaill, and I do still lament ; 
Thou murns for nocht, I shed my teirs in vane ; 
To the, Echo, and thou to me agane. 

Thou pleins Narcissus, I my love also ; 
He did the hurt, bot I am kil'd by myne ; 
He fled from the, myne is my mortall fo, 
Without offence, and crueller nor thyne. 
The weirds vs baith predestinat to pyne, 
Continually to others to complane ; 
To the, Echo, and thou to me agane. 

Thou hyds thyself; I list not to be sene ; 
Thou banisht art, and I am in exyle ; 
By Juno thou, and I by Venus Quene. 



150 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

Thy love wes fals, and myn did me begyle ; 
Thou hoped once, so wes I glaid a vhyle ; 
Zit lost our tyme in love, I will not lane ; 
To the, Echo, and thou to me agane. 

Thy elrish skirlis do penetrat the roks ; 

The roches rings, and rendirs me my cryis. 

Our saikles plaints to pitie thame provoks, 

Quhill they compell our sounds to pierce the skyis. 

All thing bot love to plesur vs applyis, 

Quhais end, alace ! I «say is bot disdane ; 

To the, Echo, and thou to me agane. 

Som thing, Echo, thou hes for to rejose, 
Suppose Narcissus some tyme the forsook. 
First he is dead, syne changed in a rose, 
Quhom thou nor nane hes pouer for to brook. 
Bot, be contrair, evirie day I look 
To sie my love attraptit in a trane 
From me, Echo, and nevir come agane. 

Nou welcome, Echo, patience perforce. 
Anes eviry day, with murning, let vs meet. 
Thy love nor myne in mynds haif no remorse ; 
We taist the sour that nevir felt the sueet. 
As I demand, then ansueir and repeit. 
Let teirs aboundant ou'r our visage rane ; 
To the, Echo, and thou to me agane. 

Quhat lovers, Echo, maks sik querimony ? Mony. 
Quhat kynd of fyre doth kindle thair curage ? Rage. 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 



151 



Quhat medicine, (O Echo ! knouis thouony ?) On ay. 
Is best to stay this Love of his passage ? Age. 

Quhat merit thay that culd our sighs assuage ? Wage. 
Quhat wer we first in this our love profane ? Fane. 
Quhair is our joy ? O Echo ! tell agane. Gane ! 



Qaddress to love.] 

I. 
Blind Love ! if euer thou made bitter sueet, 
Or turnd the sugar to the taist of gall, 
Or zit dissolvit a frostie hairt with heet ; 
If on thyn altar sacrifice I sail, 
As to the Lord of Love, vho may do all, 
Vhois pouer maks the stoutest stomoks yeeld, 
And waikest somtyme for to win the feeld ; 

II. 

If thou can brek ane allabaster breist, 

Or if no sheeld be shotfrie vhare thou shoots ;— 

Let not thy lau be lichtleit, at the leist, 

Bot tak revenge vhen rebels thee reboots. 

If thou be he of vhom so mony moots, 

Quha maks the hardiest flintie harts to melt, 

And beirs thame ay about the lyk a belt ; 

III. 

Or if thou be that Archer so renound, 

That vhair thou mints thou missis not the mark, 

Bot, lyk a king, is for thy conqueis cround, 



152 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

Tovhom all stoupis, thoghtthey war neuer so[stark;] 

If of thy fyr be resting zit a spark ; — 

I pray thee, nou, thy cunning for to kyth, 

And burne hir breist that of my baill is blyth. 



A DESCRIPTIONE OF VANE LOVERS. 
I. 

Nane lovis bot fools vnlov'd agane, 

Quha tyns thair tyme and comis no speid. 

Mak this a maxime to remane, 

That Love beirs nane bot fools at feid ; 

And they get ay a good goosheid, 

In recompense of all thair pane. 

So of necessitie mon succeid, 

Nane lovis bot fools, vnlov'd agane, 

II. 

Ze wot a wyse man will be war, 
And will not ventur but advyse. 
Greit fuills, for me, I think they ar, 
That seeks warme water vnder yce. 
Zit some mair wilfull ar, nor wyse, 
That for thair Lovis saik wold be slane. 
Buy no repentance of that pryce : 
Nane lovis bot fools, vnlov'd agane. 

III. 
Thoght some we sie, in evry age, 
Lyk glaikit fools, gang gooked gaits, 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 153 

Quhair Reson gets no place for rage ; — 
They love best them vhilk thame bot haits, 
Syne of thair folies wyts the Faits, 
As Destinie did thame disdane ; 
Quhilks are bot cappit vane conceats, — 
Nane loves bot fools, vnlov'd agane. 

IV. 

Some by ane proverbe fane wald prove, 
Quha skantly nevir sau the scuills, 
That Love with resone is no love, 
Nor Constance, vhare Occasion cools. 
Thair they confes, lyk frantick fools, 
That wilfully thay will be vane. 
But Resone what ar men bot mulis ? 
Nane lovis bot fools, vnlov'd agane. 

V. 

They speik not leirnd-lyk, at the leist, 
That Rage, in steid of Reson, ruisis : 
Vhat better ar they, nor a beist, 
Fra tym that Reson thame refuisis ? 
Some beistlily thamselfis abusis, 
As constancie did them constrane ; 
Quhilks ar bot ignorant excusis : 
Nane lovis bot fools, vnlov'd agane. 

VI. 

For ding a dog, and he will byte, 
And fan on him vha givis him fude ; 



154< MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

And can as caus requyrs acquyt, 
As ill with ill, and good with good. 
Than love nane, bot vhare thou art hide, 
And vhar thou finds tham fayn d refrane ; 
Tak this my counsel!, I conclude, 
Nane lovis bot fools, vnlov'd agane. 



THE WELL OF LOVE. 

Among the Gods that sittis above, 

And ruleth in the skyis, 
That blindit boy, the God of Love, 

All creatur espyis. 
Vha may withstand his stroke, I say, 

Quhen he list for to shute ? 
For to reveill, I minted ay ; 

Bot yet it was no bute. 

Fra tym that winged God did sie 

That I did Love disdane, 
He took a shaft, and shot at me 

And peirsit evirie vane. 
The head so deeply in me sank, 

That all my body brist ; 
Then of the well of Love I drank, 

To quench my burning thrist. 

So soon as I thairof did taist, 
My breist began to burne ; 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 155 

Then to the Gods of Love, in haist, 

My visage did I turne. 
With trimbling teirs, vpon my knees, 

My pains for to deploir ; 
Then they did open vp my ees, 

Quhilk long wer shut before. 

Quhen that my dimmit sight greu cleir, 

Incontinent I sau 
A palice stand before me neir ; 

And thidder did I drau, 
For to refresh my werynes, 

Quhilk I susteind before : 
Bot then my pains, they did incres, 

And vex'd me more and more. 

Into that place, I sau repair, 

Of Nymphs mony one ; 
Lyk burning gold, thair glistering hair x 

Thair shulders hang vpon. 
Amongst thame, one I sau appeir, 

Quhilk did excell thame all ; 
Lyk Venus with hir smyling cheir 

That wan the gcldin ball. 

Hir deasie colour, rid and vhyte, 

Lyk lilies on the laik ; 
Hir glistring hair, of grit delyte, 

Behind hir nek did shaik. 
Of diamonds, hir ees were maid, 

That in hir heid did stand ; 



156 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

With armis long, and shulders braid, 
And middle small as wand, 

Fra I beheld hir beuty bright, 

I had no strenth to steir; 
I wes so woundit with that sight, 

That I micht not reteir. 
The Gods of Love reliev my pain, 

And caus hir for to reu ! 
For nou the fyre of Love agane 

Is in me kindlit neu. 

O happie war that man indeid, 

Quha micht hir love obtene ! 
For hir my thirlit hairt does bleid ; 

Sair vexit is my splene. 
Sen I haif lost my libertie, 

In bondage for to duell, 
God give hir grace to reu on me, 

And meit me at the well ! 



OF THE SAME WELL* 

To the, O Cupid ! king of Love, 

We pray, whair thou does duell, 
That, but respect, thou wold remove 

All rebells from thy well : 
And, if to drink, they haif desyre, 

This water ; then, thou turne 
Into the Element of Fyre, 

With baill thair breist to burne. 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 157 

And let thame, with Apollo, prove 

The fury of thy fyre ; 
And let them haif no luk in love, 

Bot droun thame with desyre. 
Bot vnto vs, that subjects ar 

To Love, and to his lauis, 
Mair mercifull, I wald thou war, 

Nor zit thy self thou shawis. 

As we do serve thy Celsitude, 

In hope to haif reuaird ; 
Let thame vhom we haif so long lude, 

Our service once regaird. 



THE COMMENDATIONE OF LOVE, 

I rather far, be fast, nor frie, 
Albeit I nlicht my mynd remove ; 
My Maistres hes a man of me, 
That lothis of euery thing bot love, 
Quhat can a man desyre, 
Quhat can a man requyre, 
Bot tym sail caus him tyre, 

And let it be ? 
Except that fervent fyre 
Of burning love impyre, 
Hope heghts me sik a hyre, 

I rather far, be fast, nor frie. 



158 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

But love, — vhat wer, bot sturt or stryfe : 
But love, — vhat kyndnes culd indure ? 
But love, — hou loth sum war our lyfe ? 
But love, — vhairof suld we be sure ? 

But love, — vhar wer delyt ? 

But love, — vhat bot despyt ? 

But love, — vhat wer perfyt ? 
Sure suld we sie. 

But love, — vhat war to wryt ? 

But love,— vha culd indyt ? 

No,— nothing worth a myte. 

I rather far, be fast, nor frie. 

Love maks men galzard in thair geir ; 
Love maks a man a martial mynd : 
Love maks a man no fortun feir ; 
Love changes natur contrare kynd. 

Love maks a couard kene ; 

Love maks the clubbitclene; 

Love maks the niggard bene, . 
That— vho bot he ? 

Love maks a man, I mene, 

Mair semely to be sene ; 

Love keeps ay Curage grene : 
I rather far, be fast, nor frie. 

Love can not be, bot from above, 
Quhilk halds the hairt so quik in heit. 
Fy on that freik, that can not love ! 
He hes not worth a sponk of spreit. 
Remember ony man, 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 159 

In Chronikle, ye can, 
That ever worship wan, 

But love, let sie, 
And once that rink he ran. 
Sen this is treu, — vhy than, 
I end as I began ; 

I rather far, be fast, nor frie. 

[^AGAINST LOVE.] 

I rather far, be frie, nor fast ; 
I hope, I may remove my mynd ; 
Love is so licht, it can not last ; 
It is smal plesur to be pynd, 

Sen I haif ees tuo, 

What need I blindlings go, 

Ay flundring to and fro, 
Quhill clods me cast ? 

I am not one of tho, 

To work my wilfull wo ; 

I shaip not to do so : 

I rather far, be frie, nor fast. 

But Libertie,— what micht me meis ? 
But Libertie, all things me grieve. 
But Libertie, — vhat might me pleis ? 
But Libertie, I loth to leive. 

But Libertie, alace ! 

Hou cairfull wer my case ! 

But Libertie, my grace 
And joy wer past 



160 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

Suppose I, for a space, 
War captive in a place, 
I reu that rekles race : 

I rather far, be frie, nor fast. 

Of prisone, Fredome brings me furth : 
My Fredome maks contentment kyth : 
But Fredome all things war no worth : 
My Fredome maks me glade and blyth : 
My Fredome maks me fain : 
In mirth vhair I remain, 
I pas the tym but pain, 

And vnagast. 
Quharas I purpose plain, 
From folies to refrain, 
Sen love hes syndrie slain : 

I rather far, be frie, nor- fast* 

Love can not be bot very ill, 
That folks with fury so infects ; 
Abusing manheid, wit, and skill. 
No ryme nor resone it respects, 
Bot ramping in a rage, 
Not sparing ony age 
Of Cazard, King, nor Page, 

Bot byds thair blast. 
Sen sik as suld be sage, 
Ar korpit in that cage, 
I work not for sik wage : 

I rather far, be frie, nor fast. 
2 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 161 

SANG ON THE LADY MARGARET MONTGOMERIE. 
I. 

Luifaris, leive of to loif so hie 
Your ladeis ; and thame styel no mair, 
But pier, the eirthlie A per se, 
And flour of feminine maist fair : 
Sen thair is ane without compair, 
Sic tytillis in your sangs deleit ; 
And prais the pereles preclair, 
Montgomrie, maikles Margareit. 

II. 

Quhose port* and pereles pulchritud, 
Fair forme, and face angelically 
Sua meik, and full of mansuetud, 
With vertew supernaturall ; 
Makdome, and proper members all, 
Sa perfyte, and with joy repleit, — 
Pruifs hir, but peir or peregall, 
Of maids the maikles Margareit. ' 

III. 

Sa wyse in youth, and verteous, 
Sic ressoun for to rewl the rest, 
As in greit age wer marvelous ; 
Sua manerlie, myld, and modest ; 
Sa grave, sa gracious, and digest ; 
And in all doings sa discreit ; 
The maist bening, and boniest, 
Mirrour of madins, Margareit. 

L 



162 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 



IV. 

Pigmaleon, that ane portratour, 
Be painting craft, did sa decoir, 
Himself thairwith in paramour 
Fell suddenlie, and smert thairfoir ; — 
Wer he alyve, he wald deploir 
His folie ; and his love forleit, 
This fairer patrane to adoir, 
Of maids the maikles Margareit, 

V. 

Or had this nymphe bene in these day is 
Quhen Paris judg't in Helicon, 
Venus had not obten't sic prayis. 
Scho, and the goddessis ilk one, 
Wald have prefert this paragon, 
As marrowit, but matche, most meit 
The goldin ball to bruik alone ; 
Marveling in this Margareit. 

VI. 

Quhose nobill birth, and royal bl uid, 
Hir better nature dois exceid. 
Hir native giftes, and graces gud, 
Sua bonteouslie declair indeid 
As waill, and wit of womanheid, 
That sa with vertew dois ourfleit. 
Happie is he that sail posseid 
In marriage this Margareit ! 

6 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 163 

VII. 

Help, and graunt hap, gud Hemene ! 
Lat not thy pairt in hir inlaik ; 
Nor lat not dolful destanie, 
Mishap, or fortoun, worke hir wraik. 
Grant lyik unto hirself ane maik ! 
That will hir honour, luif, and treit ; 
And I sail serve him for hir saik. 
Fairweill, my Maistres Margareit. 

A POEME ON THE SAME LADY. 

L 

Ye hevins abone, with heavenlie ornaments, 

Extend your courtins of the cristall air ! 

To asuir colour turn your elements, 

And soft this season, quhilk hesbene schairp and sair: 

Command the cluds that they dissolve na mair, 

Nor us molest with mistie vapours weit ; 

For now scho cums, the fairest of all fair, 

The mundane mirrour, maikles Margareit. 

II. 

The myildest May ; the mekest, and modest ; 
The fairest flour, the freschest flourishing ; 
The lamp of licht ; of youth the lustiest ; 
The blythest bird, of bewtie maist bening ; 
Groundit with grace, and godlie governing, 
As A per se, abone all elevat ; 
To quhame comparit' is na erthlie thing, 
Nor with the gods so heichlie estimate. 



164 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 



III. 

The goddes Diana, in hir hevinlie throne, 

Evin at the full of all hir majestic, 

Quhen she belev*t that danger was thair none, 

Bot in hir sphere ascending up maist hie, 

Upon this nymph fra that scho cast hir ei, 

Blusching for schame, out of hir schyne she slippis ; 

Thinking scho had bene Phebus verilie, 

At whose depairt scho fell into th* eclippis. 

IV. 

The asters cleir, and torchis of the nicht, 
Quhilk in the sterrie firmament wer fixit, 
Fra thay persavit Dame Phcebe los hir licht, 
Lyk diamonts with cristall perls mixit, 
They did discend, to schyne this nymph annixit ; 
Upon hir schoulders twinkling everie on. 
Quhilk to depaint it wald be owr prolixit, 
How thay in ordour glister on hir gown. 

V. 

Gif she had bein into the dayis auld, 
Quhen Jupiter the schape of bull did tak, 
Befoir Europe quhen he his feit did fauld, 
Quhill scho throw courage clam upon his bak ; 
Sum greater mayck, I wait, he had gart mak, 
Hir to have stolin be his slichtis quent ; 
For to have past abone the zodiak, 
As quein, and goddes of the firmament. 



MISCELLANEOUS TOEMS. 165 



VI. 

With golden schours, as he did Clemene, 
He wald this virgine furteousry desave. 
Bot I houp in the goddes Hemene, 
Quhilk to hir brother so happie fortoun gave, 
That scho sail be exaltit, by the laif, 
Baith for hir bewtie, and hir noble bluid. 
And of myself ane servand scho sail haif 
Unto I die : and so I doe concluid. 



ANE ANSWER TO ANE INGLIS RAILAR PRAYSING HIS 
AWIN GENALOGY. 

Ze, Inglische hursone ! sumtyme will avant . 

Zour progeny from Brutus to haif tane ; 
And sumtyme from ane angell or ane santt, 

As Angelus and Anglus bayth war ane : 

Angelus in erth zit seyd I few or nane, 
Except ye feyndis with Lucifer yat fell. 

Avant ! zow villane of that Lord allane, 
Tak thy progeny frome Pluto prence of hell. 
Becaus ze vse in hoillis to hyd zovr sell, 

Anglus is cum frome Angulus in deid ; 
Abuive all vderis Brutus bure ye bell, 

Quha slew his fader howping to succeid : 
Than chus zow ane of thais ; I rek not ader ; 
Tak Beelzebub, or Brutus to zovr fader. 



166 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

ANE ANSWER TO ANE HELANDMANIS JNVECTIUE. 

Fyndlay M c Connoquhy, fuf M c Fadzan, 
Cativilie geilzie with ye poik-braik ; 
Smvir cunary takin trewis breikles M c Bradzan ; 
Zeill fart fast in Baquhidder, or ze corne schaik. 
Insteid of grene gynger ze eit gray gradzan, 
For lyce in zour limschock ze haue na inlaik ; 
Mony mvntir moir in moggis of mvre madzan ; 
Sawis seindill saffroun in saws for yair sarkis saik. 
Oknewling Occonoquhy Ochreigry M c Grane, 

With fallisty mvnter moy, 

Soy in scho sorle boy, 

Cullin feane aggis endoy, 
Firray brakdich ilkane. 

EQUHY SOWLD I LUVE.] 

Quhy sowld I luve bot gif I war luvit ? 
Quhy sowld I sett myne hert in variance ? 
Quhy sowld I do the thing to be reprovit ? 
Vnto my spreit it war richt grit grevance. 

Quhy sowld I schamefully thus me avance 
To lovin on, and scho not loving me ? 
Than war I gydit with misgovirnance, 
That I sowld luve and I not lovit be. 

QWHEN ZE WERE PLESIT.] 

Quhen ze wer plesit to pleiss me hertfully, 

I was applesit to pleiss zow sickerly ; 

Sen ze ar pleisit to pleiss an vyir wy, 

Be nocht displeisit, to pleiss quhair pleisit am I. 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 167 

[a. REGRATE OF HIS VNHAPPIE LUVE.] 

I r kit I am with langid luvis lair, 
Oursett with inwart siching sair ; 
For in the presone of dispair, 

Seing ilk wicht gettis sum walfair, 
BotL 

My hairt is pynd and persit so with pains, 
Quhilk teiris over my visage ranis, 
And makis the bluid within my vanis 

To dry. 
Quha ma sic greif resist aganis, 

Bot I ? 

My mad misfortoun dois me so commuve, 
Thy I may nowthir rest nor ruve, 
Bot wary all the goddis abuve 

The sky, 
That every leid obteins thair hive, 

Bot I. 

All nobill hairtis of nateur ar inclynd, 
Quhair thay find Constance, to be kynd ; 
Thairfor to ane, scho sowld hir mynd 

Apply, 
Sen non is for hir persone pynd, 

BotL 

The facultie of famenene is so, 
Vnto thair freind to be his fo ; 



168 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

Syne menis him quhen he is ago, 

For thy : 
Vncourtesly thus keill thay mo 

Then I. 

Thay covet not the man that they may get ; 
For him thay hald as propper det : 
On strangeris ay thair myndis ar set 

To spy. 
Thus mo bene fetterit with thair net, 

Nor I. 

Grit fule am I, to follow the delyte 
Of thame that hes no faith perfyte ; 
Thairfoir sic cumpany I quyt 

Denny. 
Of all my wo, hes non the wyt, 

BotL 

Quhat woundir is tho* I do weip and pleid, 

This fellon ere wall lyfe I leid ; 

The quhilk but dowt wil be my deid 

In hy, 
For every man obtenis remeid, 

BotL 

My lady hes ane hairt of stone so hard, 
On me to rew scho hes no regard ; 
Bot bustrously I am debard 

Ay by, 
And every man gettis sum reward, 

But I. 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 169 



Qthe SOLSEQUIUM.] 
I. 

Lyk as the dum 

Solsequium, 

With cair ou'rcum, 
And sorou, vhen the sun goes out of sight, 

Hings doun his head, 

And droups as dead, 

And will not spread ; 
Bot louks his leavis, throu langour of the nicht, 

Till folish Phaeton ryse, 
With vhip in hand, 

To cleir the cristall skyis, 
And light the land : 

Birds in thair bour 

Luiks for that hour, 
And to thair Prince ane glaid good-morou givis ; 

Fra thyn, that flour 

Cist not to lour, 
Bot laughis on Phoebus lousing out his leives : 

II. 

Sa fairis with me, 
Except I be 
Vhair I may se 
My lamp of licht, — my Lady and my Love, 
Fra scho depairts, 
Ten thousand dairts, 
In syndrie airts, 



170 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

Thirlis throu my hevy hart, but rest or rove ; 

My countenance declairs 
My inward grief; 

Good hope almaist dispairs 
To find relief. 

I die, — I duyn, — 

Play does me pyn,— 
I loth on euiry thing I look, — alace ! 

Till Titan myne 

Vpon me shyne, 
That I revive throu favour of hir face. 

III. 

Fra she appeir, 

[Into hir spheir,] 

Begins to cleir, 
The dauing of my long desyrit day: 

Then Curage cryis 

On Hope to ryse, 

Fra he espy is 
My noysome nicht of absence worne auay. 

No wo, vhen I aualk, 
May me impesh ; 

Bot, on my staitly stalk, 
I florish fresh. 

I spring, — I sprout ; — 

My lei vis ly out ; — 
My color changes in ane hartsum hew. 

No more I louti 

Bot stands vp stout, 
As glade of hir, for vhom I only greu. 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 171 

IV. 

happie day ! 
Go not auay. 
Apollo ! stay 

Thy chair from going doun into the west : 
Of me thou mak 
Thy Zodiak, 
That I may tak 
My plesur, to behold vhom I love best. 
Thy presence me restores 

Tolyffromd[eath;] 
Thy absence also shores 
To cut my breath. 

1 wish, in vane, 
Thee to remane, 

Sen primum mobile sayis aluayis nay; 

At leist thy wane 

Turn soon agane. 
[Tare weill, with patience perforce, till day.] 

A REGRATE OF HARD LUCK IN LOVE, 

vhat a martyr'd man am I ! 

I freat, — I fry, — 
I wreist, — I wry, — 

1 wrassill with the wind ; 
Of duill and dolour, so I dry, 

And wot net vhy 

This grit invy 
Of Fortun nou I find ; 
Bot at this tym, hir spyt I spy : 
O vhat a martyrd man am I ! 



172 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

Quhat pen or paper can expres 

The grit distres 

And hevynes, 
Quhilk I haif at my hairt ? 
My comfort ay grouis les and les, 

My cairs incres 

With sik excess, 
I sigh, I sobbe, I smarte ; 
So that I am compeld to cry, 
O vhat a martyrd man am I ! 

With weping ees my verse I wryt, 

Of comfort quyt, — 

Adeu delyt ! 
My hairt is lyk the lead. 
Of all my sorou and my syte, 

The weirds I wyt, 

That span with spyt 
My thrauart fatall threid. 
God wat that barrat deir I buy : 
O vhat a martyrd man am I ! 

Of ill befor I vnderstude, 

It had bene gude 

Into my cude, 
Bereiving me my breath, 
Nou to haif bene of noy denude, 

Quhilk boyllis my blude : 

Come zit conclude 
My dolour, gentle Death ; 
And lat me not in langour ly : 
O vhat a martyrd man am I ! 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 173 

[ANE EXAMPLE FOR HIS LADY.] 
I. 

Quhen first Apollo, Python sleu, 
Sa glorious, that God, he greu, 
Till he presumit to perseu 

The blindit Archer boy • 
Quhais Turkie bou and quaver bleu, 
Quharin appeirit noks aneu, 
He bad him zeild to him, as deu, 

Quha best culd thame imploy. 
Quod Cupid, — <c Shortly sail thou reu, 
That euer thou sik cunning kneu f 
Syne to Parnassus fast he neu, 

His shaft for to convoy. 
Thair he ane deidly dairt outdreu, 
At proud Apollo he it threu, » 
Syn him a sight of Daphne sheu, 

Quhose beutie wroght him noy. 

II. 

Zit crabit Cupid, not content, 
Apollois anger to augment, 
Did nok agane incontinent, 



With fethers rugh, and all too rent, 
At Daphne slaulie doun he sent, 
Quhais frostie head, vhair so it went, 

Bedeazit evry vane. 
That winged Archer insolent 
Did wound thame baith, bot different ; 
Apollois harte to love he bent, 



174 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

Bot Daphne's to disdane. 
To lait Apollo did repent 
That he with Cupid wes acquent, 
Quha wilfullie did ay invent 

Hou to augment his pane. 

III. 
His hurt wes with the goldin heid, 
Quhilk inward in his hairt did bleid ; 
No medicin micht him remeid 

From Cupid's angrie yre : 
Hirs with the blunted bolt of leid, 
Ane hew mettall cauld and deid, 
Repelling Love, as yce may reid, 

And quencher of desyre. 
His pain wes lyk the Pyralide ; 
A beist in birning that does breid, 
And in the fyry flammis dois feid, 

And fosters of the fyre. 
Cupido bare him so at feid, 
That in his love he come no speid.— 
Both his persute and Daphne's dreid, 

To tell, my tongue suld tyre. 

IV. 

About Penneus, did repair 

This noble Nymph, of beuty rare ; 

Quhais comely clothing to declare, 

My Author does indyt. 
Most from the belt vp, scho wes bair ; 
Behind hir hang hir hevinly hair, 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 175 

Vnkamed hovring in the air, 

Shed from hir visage vhyt ; 
With blinks dulce and debonair 
Lyk beuties freshest florish, fair, 
Exem'd clene from Love's lair, 

To work Apollo spyt. 
Hir countenance did move him mair, 
Quhen throu hir garments, heir and thair, 
Appeirit hir lustie lims square, 

As sho ran by him quyt, 

V. 

Quhen as he sau that Virgin flie, 

He folloude in a frenesie, 

And cryde, — " O Daphne ! deir to me, 

" Why does thou tak the chace ? 
" Go slau, and sie vha folouis thee, — 
" Thy lover, and no enemie ; 
u Nixt michtie Jove, into degrie, 

H I bruik the cheifest place ; 
" And I sail stay my course/' quod he, 
" Leist thou resave some hurt from me : 
<€ Thou sees, thair is no remedie, 

" Bot thou must lose the race." 
Sho prayd the Gods, hir helpers be, 
To saif hir pure virginitie ; 
Quha shupe hir in a laurell trie, 

As he did hir embrace. 

VI. 

Nou, lovesome lady, let vs leir 
Example of these Lady is heir ; 



176 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

Sen Daphne boght hir love so deir, 

Hir fortun suld effray zou. 
Bot I haif no sik caus to feir, 
That obstinat ze perseveir ; 
On Lovis book, my self I sueir 

Zour bundman, til obey zou. 
Then lyk Penelope appeir, 
Quha wes so constant tuenty zeir : 
Quhen zour Vlysses is not neir, 

Tentation may assay zou ; 
Zit vary not, I zou requeir, 
And I sail stoppe Vlysses' eir. 
Fairweill, my Love and Lady cleir ; 

Be permanent, I pray zou. 

[Vatur passis nuriture.] 

As Natur passis nuriture, 

Of Natur all things hes a strynd ; 
So evrie leving creature 

Ay covets comounly thair kynd : 
As Buk, the Dae, — the Harte, the Hynd. 

Lyk drauis to lyk, we sie this sure ; 
So I am aluayis of that mynd, 

That Natur passis Nuriture. 

Thoght Nuriture be of that strenth, 
To war the Natur vhylis a wie ; 

Zit Natur ay prevailis at lenth, 
As by experience we sie ; 

Except throu destinie it be 

In some $ vhilk does not long indure. 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 177 

Vhat fortun will, may no man flie ; 
Bot Natur pas sis nuriture. 

To prove this proverbe to be true, 

Difficultie, I think, is nane, 
By aid examplis past aneu, 

Quharof I micht haif tuentie tane. 
Nou I will vse bot only ane, 

Quhilk lang within my breist I bure, 
And let the lave nou all alane ; 

Hou Natur pas sis Nuriture, 

Thair wes a gentle girking gay, 

Of plesand plume, and fair of flicht, 
Quha wes so proud, vhen he wald pray, 

That he out sprang all halks for hight. 

He wes so lordly, for to light, 
He wald not look vpon a lure ; 

Bot fleu, ay soaring, out of sight, 
As Natur passis Nuriture. 

The falconis folouit vhair he fleu ; 

To fang his freindship they war fane, 
Quharof so glorious he greu, 

That he thair offers did disdane ; 

Quhilk s vhen they sau, they wroght in vane, 
The formels, fair auay they fure. 

Ingratitude gets sik a gane, 
As Natur passis Nuriture. 

This girking pearkit in a place, 
Quharin oue'r long he did delyt ; 

M 



178 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

Quhill, at the last, throu love, alace ! 
He come acquantit with a kyt, 
And quat his auld acquentance quyt. 

Of his oun kynd he took no cure : 

Wo worth the weirds that had the wyt, 

That Natur zeild't to Nuriture. 

Fra once hir company he vsit, 

He greu so goked with that gled ; 
Blind Love his reson so abvsit, 

He suore that they suld neuer shed. 

Fra sho with fedrit flesh wes fed, 
Quhilk prayd befor on poddoks pure, 

With tym sho tystit him to tred : 
Thair Natur zeild't to Nuriture. 

Hir meit of modeuarts and myce, 

He chang'd in Partridge, and in pout. 

Zit Natur, not-the-les, is nyce : 
Thair braid a bissat neir about, 
Quhilk vs'd hir, vhen the Halk fleu out, 

Suppose they held it long obscure. 
Do vhat ze dou, thair is no doubt 

Bot Natur passis Nuriture. 

Thair companie wes not quyet, 

Bot or they wist they wer beuryde ; 
And that throu pearking of a Pyet 

Besyde thame, vhilk thair palks espyde. 

To tell the Halk, in haist sho hy'de, 
The Kyt wes palzard and perjure. 

The Tersel troude not, vhill he tryde, 
That Natur passis Nuriture. 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 179 

[[ADDRESS TO THE SUN.]] 

Quhill as with vhyt and nimble hand, 
My Maistres gathring flours doth stand, 

Amidst the florisht meid ; 
Of lilies vhyt, and violets, 
A garland properly sho plets, 

To set vpon hir heid. 

O Sun ! that shynis so bright above, 
If euer thou the fyre of Love 

Hes felt, as poets fayne ; — 
If it be sik, — as sik it semes, 
Of courtessie, withdrau thy hemes, 

Leist thou hir colour stayne. 

She, if thou not hir beutie burne, 
Sail quyt thee with a better turne, — 

To close hir cristall ees, 
A brightnes far surmounting thyne, 
Leist thou, thairby asham'd suld tyne 

Thy credit in the skyis. 

QEVEN DEAD, BEHOLD I BREATH.]] 

I. 

Evin dead, behold I breath ! 

My breath procures my pane ; 
Els dolour, eftir death, 

Suld slaik, vhen I war slane : 

Bat Destinie's disdane 



180 MISCELLANEOUS TOEMS. 

So span my fatal 1 threid, 
But mercy, to remane 
A martyr, quik and deid. 

fatall deidly feid ! 

rigour, but remorse ! 
Since thair is no remeid, 

Come Patience, perforce. 

II. 

My hairt, but rest or rove, 

Reuth, reson, or respect, 
With Fortun, Death, and Love^ 

Is keipit vnder check ; 

That nou thair is no nek, 
Nor draught to mak debate, 

Bot let it brist or brek ; # 
For Love must haif it mait. 
Relief, alace ! is lait, 

Quhen I am bund to flie : 

1 stand in strange estate ; 

1 duyn, and dou not die. 

III. 

The faits, — the thrauard faitis, 

The wicked weirds lies wroght 
My state, of all estates, 

Vnhappiest to be thoght. 

Had I offend it oght, 
Or wroght aganst thair will, 

But mercy, than they moght 
Conclvde my corps to kill : 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 181 

Bot as they haif no skill 

Of gude. nor zit regard. 
T'ie innocent, with ill, 

Ressaves the lyk reuard. 

IV. 

Zit tyme sail try my treuth, 

And panefull patient pairt, 
Thoght Love suld rage but reuth, 

And Death with deidly dairt 

Suld sey to caus me smart ; 
Nor fortuns fickill vheill, 

All suld not change my hairt, 
Quhilk is als true as steill. 
I am not lyk ane eill ; 

To slippe, nor zet to slyde. 
Love, Fortun, Death, fairueill, 

For I am bound to byd. 

[[love, if thou LIST.j 

L 

Love, if thou list, I pray the let me leiv ; 

Devoir me not, withdrau thy deidly dairt. 
Quhat right or resone hes thou, to bereiv 
Me, wofull wretch, of my vnhappie hairt ? 
Thy fyre, through yre, 

My bailfull bosome burnis. 
Quhat gloir, the moir, 

Vnto thy trophee turnis ? 
To prove on me thy pith, 
Ane innocent, but ill, 
That zoldin am in will, 



182 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

If thou thy captive kill, 
I dou not do thairwith. 

II. 
O Reson ! thou regards not to be reft ; 

Weill I persaiv thy pairt is to reprove : 
Quhy hes thou me alone in langour left ? 
Delyvring me vnto this lokman Love, 
Vhose strenth at lenth 

Sail shuff the by the skaith ; 
That I deir buy, 

And thou be banisht baith ; 
Quhilk sore we may repent. 
Fra thou be in exyle, 
That boy will me beguyll. 
O ! wary it be the vhyle 
That euer we wer acquent ! 

III. 
Quhen I wes lous, at Libertie I lap ; 

I leugh vhen Ladyis spak to me of Love ; 
To hald me sa, alace ! I had no hap, 

Bot purposly I wald gang pastym prove. 
I thoght I moght, 

But perrell, pas the tym ; 
Fra hand, I fand 

My fethers in the lyme. 
Quhair I took leist regaird, 
And lothest wes tc look, 
Bot seimd that I forsook, 
Sho had me on hir hook : 
O ! welcome, just reuard ! 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 183 

IV. 

My pane is bot hir pastyme and hir play. 

As fyr I burne, — lyk yce sho is als cauld : 
I sie, the man wha will not vhen he may, 
The tym sail come, he sail not vhen he wald. 
I sie in me, 

This proverbe to be true ; 
Quha wald not hald 

Me frie, vhilk I may reu ; 
Bot proudly wald presume, 
And hazard to come speid. 
Quhen gone is all remeid, 
Dispair will be my deid : 
I sie nane other dome. 

£lN THROU THE WINDOES OF MYN EES/] 
I. 

In throu the windoes of myn ees, 

A perrillous and open pairt, 

Hes Cupid hurt my hevy hairt, 
Quhilk daylie duyns, bot nevir dees, 

Throu poyson of his deidly dairt. 
I bad him bot to sey ane shot ; 

I smyld to se that suckling shute : 
" Boy, with thy bou do vhat thou dou," 

Quod I, " I cair the not a cute." 

II. 
Fell peart, quod Cupid, thou appeirs ; 
Syn to his bou he maid a braid, 



184 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

And shot me soon, be I had said ; 
Quhill all my laughter turn'd to teirs. 

" Now gesse/' quod he, " if thou be glaid ;" 
Nou laugh at Love, that pastym prove : 

Am I ane Archer nou or nocht ? 
His skorne and skayth, I baid them baith, 

And got it sikker that I socht. 

III. 
Fra hand I freiz'd in flamis of fyre ; 

I brint agane als soon in yce : 

My dolour wes my auin devyce ; 
Displesur wes my auin desyre. 

All thir by Natur nou ar nyce ; 
Bot Natur nou, I wot not how 

Sho meins to metamorphose me, 
In sik a shappe as hes no happe 

To further weill, nor zit to flie. 

IV. 
Quhen I wes frie > I micht haif fled ; 

I culd not let this love allane : 

Nou, out of tym, vhen I am tane, 
I seik some shift that we may shed, 

Becaus it by ts me to the bane. 
Bot, pruif is plane, I work in vane, 

It war bot mouis thairat to mint : 
Fra I be fast, that pairt is past ; 

My tym and travell war baith tint. 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 185 

V. 

Micht I my Ariadne move, 

To lend hir Theseus a threed, 

Hir leilest lover for to leed 
Out of the laberinth of Love ; 

Then wer I out of dout of deed. 
Bot sho, alace ! knauis not my cace ; 

Hou can I then the better be ? 
Quhill I stand au, my self to shau, 

The Minotaur does murd£er me.)] 

VI. 

Go once, my longsome looks, reveill 

My secrete to my Lady sueet ; 

Go, sighs and teirs, for me intreet, 
That sho, by sympathie, may feill 

Pairt of the passionis of my spreet. 
Than, if hir grace givis pitie place, — 

Ineugh ; or, covets sho to [Tkill, — ] 
Let Death dispetch my lyf, puir wretch ! 

I wold not live aganst Qiir will.] 

QlF FAITHFULNES SULD FRIENDSHIP FIND.)] 
I. 

If faithfulnes suld friendship find, — 

If Patience suld purches Pitie place, — 
If Resone Love with bands micht bind, — 

If service gude suld guerdond be with grace,- — 
If loving all for ane, — 
If loving hir allane, 



186 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

Suld recompence resave ; 
Sen tym hes tryde my treuth, 
If rigour reiv not reuth, 



II. 

Quhat neids thou, Cupid, all thir dairts, 

Me to ou'rthrou, that els am cum thy thrall ; 
Thought I had had ane hundreth hairts, 
Long syne my Lady had bereft thame all. 
Since that a hairtles man 
Mak na resistance can, 

Quhat worship can ze win ? 
To slay me ouer agane, 
That am alredy slane, 

That war baith shame and sin. 

III. 
To vhom suld I preis to appeill, 

To seik redres, if thou wold wark me wrong ? 
It is too dangerous to deall, 

Or stryve with ane vhom I persave too strong. 
Far rather had I zeild, 
Nor feght and tyn the feild. 

Vnequal is that match, 
Ane captive with a king ; 
If euir I thoght sik thing, 
Forgive me, wofull wretch ! 

IV. 

Quhair I haif recklest, I recant ; 

In tyms to cum, I promise to be true. 
Laith wes I to begin, I grant, 

To love : bot nou, my reklesnes I rue. 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 187 

Our rashly I rebel' d, 
Qubill Cupid me compel d, 

Quhais force I find thairfor. 
Will he my zongnes zit, 
With mercy once remit, 

I trou to faill no more. 

Clyk as aglauros/] 

Lyk as Aglauros, curious to knau 

Vhat Mer curie inclosit within the creel, 

Suppose defendit, ceist not till sho sau 

The serpent chyld, that Juno causit to steel ; 
Quhilk, to hir sisters willing to reveill, 

Or sho wes war, evin with the word, anone, 

Sho wes transformit in a marble stone : — 

Or as Pysitches, by hir Mother mov'd, 
Hir sleeping Cupid secreitly to sie, 

Resav'd the lamp to look him vhom sho lov'd ; 
Quhais hevinly beutie blind't hir amorous ee, 
That sho forzet to close the lamp, till he 

In wrath auok, and fleu sho wist not vhair, 

And left his deing Lover in dispair : — 

Euen so am I. — O, wareit be my weird, 

For wondring on a Deitie divyne, 
The idee of perfectione in this eird ; 

Quhilk sorie sight oft gart me sigh sensyne. 

I sau tua sunnis, in semicircle shyne, 
Compelling me to play Actaeon's pairt, 
And be transformed into a bloody hairt. 



188 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

For lurking Love, vha larig had lyne in wait, 
Persaving tym, he took me at a stot ; 

Fra he beheld me broudin on the bait, 
He tuik a shaft, and suddently me shot ; 
Quhais fyrie heid brint in my harte so hot, 

I gave a grone, as I had givin the ghost ; 

And, with a look, my liberty I lost. 

My qualities incontinent did change ; 

For I, that som tyme solide wes and sage, 
Begouth to studie, stupefact and strange, 

Bereft of resone, reaving in a rage. 

No syrops sueet, my sorou culd assuage ; 
For cruell Cupid, to revenge his wroth, 
First made me love, and syn my Lady loth. 

Lo, I, that leugh in liberty at Love, 
And thoght his furie bot a fekles freet, 

Am nou compeld that pasty m for to prove, 
Quharof the sour, I sie, exceeds the sueet. 
That poysond pest perplexis so my spreet, 

I sitt and sighis all soliter and sad, 

Half mang'd in mynd, almost as I war mad. 

Meit, drink, and sleip, and company I hait ; 

I leive most lyk ane hermit allone : 
Bot, as the buk, vhare he is bund, mon blait, 

Becaus dely verance he persaifis none ; 

So must I needs nou mak my mirthles mone, 
And wair my words, with weiping, all in vane, 
Quhair nane, bot Echo, ansueirs me agane. 
10 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 189 

Hir modest looks, with majestie so mixt, 
Bad me be war, if I had not bene blind; 

Hir purpose grave, more pithie nor prolixt, 
Prognosticat my wrasling with the wind : 
Zit foolish I, vhose folie nou I find, 

Forc't by Affectione, sau not vhat I soght ; 

Bot Negligence, alace i excuisis nocht. 

So long as I my secreit sm?rt conceild, 
It seimd I wes a gaituard in hir grace ; 

Bot, welauay, hou soon it wes reveild, 
Then I persaivit that pitie had no place. 
Hou soon sho kneu my languishing, allace! 

I gat comand hir company to quyt, 

And not to send hir nather word nor wryt. 

O sentence sharpe I too suddan and seveir ; 
O bailfull bidding ! bitter to obey ; 

wareit range ! willed me to weir ; 

O wofull absence ! ordande me for ay» 
O duilfull dume ! dely vrit but delay ; 
The worst is ill, if ze be bot the best ; 

1 grant ze ar weill grevous to digest. 

Proud Ee, that looked not befor thou lap, 
Distill thy teirs of murning evermair. 

Proud Hart ! vhilk hazard't vhair thou had no [hap,] 
To drie thy penance, patiently the prepair. 
Cast of thy comfort ; cleith thy self with [cair ;] 

Sen thou art thrald, think thou mon thole a thr[ist :] 

To plesur hir, thou may be blyth to brist. 



190 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 



THE SACRIFICE OF CUPID. 



I. 

Hou oft throu compass of the christall sky is, — 
Hou oft throu voyd and watrie vaults of air, — 

Hou oft throu cluds vhair exhalations lyis, — 
Hou oft Cupido, vnto thyn auin repair, 
For sacrifice, haif I sent sighing sair, 

Accompanied with sharpe and bitter teirs ? 

Hou oft haif I, — thou knauis hou, vhen, and vhair, 

Caus'd my complante ascend into thy eirs ? 

Suppose thou sees not, zit I hope thou heirs, 
Or otherwyse, but dout, I suld dispair. 

Releiv my breist, that sik a burthen beirs, 
And thou sail be my Maister evermair ; 

II. 

And I sail be thy seruand, in sik sort 

To merit thy mantenance, if I may. 
My pen thy princely pussance sail report : 

Zea, I sail on thyn alter, evrie day, 

Tua turtle douis, for ane oblatione, lay ; 
A pair of pigeons, vhyt as ony flour ; 

A harte of wax, a branche of myrhe ; and ay 
The blood of sparouis thairon sprinkle and pour. 
Zea, I sail, for thyn honour, evrie hour, 

In songs and sonets sueetly sing and say, 
Tuyse or at anes, * ■ Vive, vive F amour ! u 

And sa my voues I promise for to pay. 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 191 



III. 

Triumphantly thy trophee sail I trim ; 

Quhair I sail brave and gallant buitings bring, 
And wryt thairon, — " Behold the spoills of him 

Quha, for his conqueis, may be calde a King/* 

My happy harte, thair highest sail I sing, 
In signe that thou by victorie it wan ; 

A rubie rich, within a Royal ring, 
Quhilk first I got vhen I to love began. 
Als willing nou, as I ressav't it than, 

To thee my self, with service, I resigne. 
Quhat wald a Maister wish mair of his man, 

Then till obey his thoght, in evry thing ? 

IV. 
Bot, oh ! as one that in a rageing ravis, 

Bereft of baith his resone and his rest, 
Compeld to cry, bot knauis not vhat he crams, 

Impatient throu poysone of his pest ; — 

So do I nou, mair painfully opprest, 
Hope help at him, vhais help culd nevir heall, 

Bot, be the contrair, martyr and molest ! 
Forgive me, Cupid, I confes I fail], 
To crave the thing that may me not availl ; 

Zit, to the end I may my grief digest, 
Anis burne hir breist, that first begouth my baill, 

That sho may sey vhat sicknes me possest 



192 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

THE SECREIT PRAIS OF LOVE. 

As evirie object to the outuard ee, 

Dissaivis the sight, and semis as it is sene, 
Quhen not bot shap and cullour zit we se, 

For no thing els is subject to the ene ; 

As stains and trees appeiring gray and grene, 
Quhais quantities vpon the sight depends; 

Bot qualities the cunning — — 

Euen sa, vha sayis, they sie me as I am, — 
I mene — a man, suppose they sie me move, 

Of ignorance they do tham selfis condam. 
By syllogisme, this properly I prove : 
Quha sees, by look, my loyaltie in love, — 

Quhat hurt in hairt, vhat hope or hap I haiv ? 

Quhilk ressone movis the senses to consaiv. 

Imaginatione is the outuard ee, 

To spy the richt anatomie of mynd ; 

Quhilk, by some secreit sympathie, may see 
The force of love, vhilk can not be defynd. 
Quharthrou the hairt, according to his kynd, 

Compassionat, as it appeirs plane, 

Participats of plesur or of pane. 

Of hevins or earth, some sim'litude or shape, 
By cunning craftismen, to the ees appeir ; 

Bot vho is he, can counterfutt the ape, 
Or paint a passion palpable, I speir, 
Quhilk enters by the organ of the eir, 

And bot vhen it is pithilie exprest ? 

And zit I grant the gritest pairt is gest. 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 193 

Suppose the heuins be huge for to behold, 
Contening all within thair compas wyde, 

The st arris be tyme, thoght tedious, may be told ; 
Becaus within a certain bounds they byd: 
The Carde the earth from waters may devyde : 

Bot vho is he can limit love, I wene. 

Quhom nather Carde nor Compas can contene ? 

Quhat force is this, subdeuing all and sum ? 

Quhat force is this, that maks the tygris tame ? 
Quhat force is this, that na man can ou'rcum ? 

Quhat force is this, that rightlie nane can name ? 

Quhat force is this, that care is sik a fame ? 
A vehemency that words can not reveill, 
Quhilk I conclude to suffer and conceill. 

[/THE POET'S LEGACIE/] 

Ressaye this harte, vhois constancie wes sik, 

Quhill it wes quick, I wot ze never kneu 
A harte more treu within a stomok stik, 

Till tym, the prik of Jelousie, it sleu ; 
Lyk as my heu, by deidly signis, furthsheu, 

Suppose that feu persav'd my secreit smart. 
Lo, heir the hairt that ze zour self ou rthreu : 

Fair weill ! adeu ! sen death mon vs depart. 

Bot, lo ! hou first my legacy I leiv : 

To God I give my spirit in heuin so hie ; 

My poesie I leave my Prince to preiv ; 
No richt can reiv him of my rhetorie : 



194 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

My bains to be bot bureit vhair I die ; 

I leiv to thee the hairt, wes nevir fals, 
About thy hals to hing, vhare thou may sie : 

Let thyn to me, then, be so constant als. 

Remember vhair I said, once eftirnone, 

Or March wer done, that thou thy cheeks suld weet, 
And for me greet, or endit war that Mone : 

I sie, ouer soon, my prophesie compleik 
O Lady sueet, I feir we neuer meet ; 

I feill my spreet is summond from above, 
For to remove : nou welcome windin sheet ! 

Death givis decreet that thou must lose thy Love. 

This sentence som thing I persaiv too sair, 

To meit na mair with thee my Love, alace ! 
God give the grace, that na vnkyndlie cair 

Do the dispair, nor thy gude fame deface ! 
Give Patience place, — considder weill the cace ; 

This is the race that euery man must rin, 
Thoght I begin, vha had no langer space. — 

Thee to imbrace once, God ! if I micht win ! 

Sen for thy saik, Death with his darte me shot, 

That I am bot a carioun of clay, 
Quha quhylome lay about thy snauie throt, — 

Nou I must rot, vha some tym stoud so stay. 
Quhat sail I say ? This warld will auay. 

Anis on a day, I seimd a semely sight. 
Thou wants the wight that neuer said the nay ; 

Adeu, for ay ! This is a lang guid nicht ! 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 195 



£to MELANCHOLIE.] 
I. 

Melancholie, grit deput of Dispair, 
With painfull pansing comis apace, 
Acompanyde with Cair, 
Quhais Artalzie is Angvish shooting sair, 
Of purpose to perseu the place 
Vhair Plesvr maid repair. 

Presuming to prevail^ 
A muster grit they mak. 
Amids thair battell, bitter Bail 
Display is his baner blak, 
Quhais colours do declair, 

To signifie but smart ;■ 
Quharin is painted cold Dispair, 

Quha wrings a hopples harte Q 
Quhilk armes on far so vglie ar, 
And ay convoy'd with Dolovr and with Dvil, 
That Hope micht skar^if they come nar/ 
And fray ane hairt perhaps out of his huill. 
For sighis and sobbis of shooting lies not ceist, 
r <Juhill they haif brasht the buluark of my brepst,] 
And cryis, — " Go to, the hous is win. — 
cf Melancholie ! — cum in." 
Thoght Rigovr then be rekles rash, 
Zit Curage bydis the brash ; 
And then the hairt vhilk never zeild, 
Of Constancie hes maid his sheild ; 
10 



196 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

Quharon thair shaftis and sharpest shottis, 
Lyk hailstanes aff ane studie stottis. 

Zit pairties proudlie baith pretend 

The victorie in end ; 

And so the tyme, but treuis, they spe[nd,3 

T' assaill and to defend. 

II. 

The rendring reid, vhilk bouis with euerie blast, 
In stormis bot stoupis, vhen strongest treis 
£Ar to the ground down-cast ;H 
Bot zit the rok, vhilk firmer is and fast 
Amidst the rage of roring seas., 
He nevir grouis agast : 
The busteous blast he byds, 

With watring wauis and huge, 
Quhilk ramping ou'er his rigging ryds, 

Bot can not caus him budge. 
Quhat reks then of the reid ? 
Or of the trees vhat reks ? 
The rok remanes a rok indeid, 
Quhilk nather bouis nor breks ; 
So sail my harte, with patient parte, 
Remane a rok all rigour to resist, 
And sail not start, to suffer smart, 
For ane, quhom to obey, I count me blist. 
Zea, thoght I had a hundreth thousand hairts, 
And euiry hairt peirc't with als mony dairts, 
And euirie dairt thairof also 
Als mony shafts and mo, — 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 197 

And eviry shaft thairof must needs 
To haif als mony heeds, — 
And euirie head als mony huikis, — 
And evirie huik als mony fluiks, — 
And evirie fluik in me war fast, — 
So long as breath of lyf micht last, 

I suld not seme for shame to shrink, 

For hir, of death to drink ; 

Quhais angels ees micht ay, I think, 

Revive me with a wink. 

[/THAT HIS HAIRT IS WOUNDIT.] 

The cruell pane and grevous smart, 

That I endure, baith day and nicht, 
Hes so bereft my woundit hairt, 
That I am lyk nane other wight. 
With pansing sair I am opprest, 
In absence of hir I love best. 

Sometym I buir ane hairt wes frie, 
Quhilk nevir will be so agane ; 
Thoght Cupid markit oft at me, 
He wastit monie a shot in vane : 
Zit For tun broght me in that place, 
Quhare I might sie hir plesand face. 

A burning darte of hot desyre, 

That Bearne buir aluayis at his belt, 

Quhairwith he set my breist on fyre, 
And maid my woundit hairt to melt. 



198 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

Fra I the force thairof did feild, 
I wes constraned for to zeeld 

To hir, the lustiest on ly ve 

That euer wes, or euer will be ; 
Quhais Beutie does with Venus stryve, 
And, in the end, gettis Victorie. 
Hir colour does exceid, als far 
As Phoebus does the morning star. 

Hir hair above hir forhead grouis, 

By Natur curling bright and shene ; 
Hir brouis they ar lyk bendit bouis, — 
Hir ees lyk pearcing arroues kene ; 
Quharuith sho hes me woundit so, 
I want a harte, — and she hes tuo. 

It is a thing most evident, 

Quhilk Natur dois to all men give ; 
It folouis also, consequent, 

No man without a harte can live. 
Sen ze posses my hairt, all hours, 
Ze bruik it weill, and len me zours. 

Then freshest Phoenix, — freind and fo, — 

Both freind and freindly, — nou fair weill. 
Quhen I sail be full far the fro, 

My verse before thy feet sail kneill, 
To caus thee tak this hairt to thee, 
Quhilk wald no more remane with me. 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 199 



[THE POET COMPLENES ON LOVE AND FORTUN.]] 

On Love and Fortun I complene, — 

On zou, and on my hairt also ; 
Bot, most of all, on my tuo ene, 
The gritest workers of my wo : 
All vhilks hes causit so my smart, 
That I must live without a hairt. 

First, to the eyis committit war, 
The keepers of the hairt to be, 
To spy and to persaiv on far 
The coming of the enemie : 
But they that had this watch to keep, 
In Beuties bosum fell on sleep. 

Then, fra the pairty adversar 

Persav't the fortres but defence, 
They clam the buluark, soft and fair, 
Quharas the hart maid residence. 
Bot zit I wyt the harte be sake, 
It zeild't to Love, without a strake. 

The blindit Archer als, I blame, 

Beginner of my grevous grains ; 
Quhilk shameles shooter thoght no shame, 
To smyll and shute me, baith at ains. 
Bot, sen he took me vnder trest, 
He band me bundman to the best,-— 



200 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

To wit, vnto zour womanheid ; 

Quhilk worst I wyt of all my woes : 
Quhais beutie, be it homicide, 
I feir it most of all my foes ; 
Quhilk Natur set so far above 
The rest, vhill that it vanquisht Love. 

I wyt Dame Fortun, — not that sho 

Hes set zou highest in degrie, 
Bot rather, that sho wold not do 
The lyk, in all respects, to me. 

Had our estates bene weill compaird, 
I had no vterlie dispaird. 



[the perversitie of his inclinationes throu 
love-3 

My fansie feeds vpon the sugred gall ; 

Against my will, my weill does work my wo ; 
My cairfull chose does chuse to keep me thrall ; 
My frantik folie fannis vpon my fo : 

My lust alluirs my licorous lippis to taist 
The bait vharin the suttle hook is plaic't. 

My hungry hope doth heap my hevy hap ; 

My syndrie sutes procuris the mair disdane ; 
My stedfast steppis zit slydis into the trap ; 
My tryed treuth intanglis me in trane : 

I spy the snair, and will not bakuards go ; 
My resone zeelds, and zit say is na thairto. 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 201 

In plesand path, I tred vpon the snaik ; 

My flamming thrist I quench withvenemouswyne; 
In daintie dish, I do the poyson tak ; 

My langour bids me rather eit nor pyne : 
I sau, I sett, — no flour nor fruit I find ; 
I prik my hand, zit leaves the rose behind. 



[THE POET REASONS WITH HIS MAISTRES.^j 

Zong tender plante, in spring tym of zour zeirs, 

Quhais fame mot floorish fresh and never faid, — 
Clene polisht pearle, vnspottit as appeirs, 

On vhom my Love is, if ze lyk it, laid ; — 
Not that I grene zour honour to degraid, 

Bot rather wald zour weilfair ay advance ; 
Zit I must say, as sooth men oft hes said, — 

Love maks the choyce, but Fortun maks the cha[nce.] 

Quhare weirds will work, vha may withstand thair [will ?] 

Nane dou reduce the Destinie's decreit ; 
Bot vhat they ordane, ather gude or ill, 

Force is to suffer, ather sour or sueit. 
Quhat they determe, no sentence can retreit ; 

Not as men wald, bot as they will they vote. 
Thoght some hold Fortun for a fekles freit, 

Luk as it lyks, I look bot for my lote. 

Quhair I haif chosen I culd be content, 
If that my luk war, vhair I love to light. 

If I come speid, I think my tyme weill spent ; 
And if I mis to mend it as I micht, 



202 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

I can reteir, vhan resone thinks it richt. 

Thair is no match bot vhair tuo mutuall [meits ;] 
Men mettall tryis by sey, and not by slight ; 

For ze mon grant, all is not gold that gleits. 

Some flours may shoot, suppose they haif no seed, 

Als trees may floorish, and bring furth feu fruit. 
Not that in zou sik doublenes I dreid, 

Suppose ze seme to shift me vhen I suit. 
I can forbeir, if once I get rebuit ; 

I will not bind, bot vhair I bound to byde. 
At syndrie marks, if that ze shaip to shoot, 

Ze may shoot short, or sometym far asyde. 

Dreigh river marks, with hights and hidden houi§, 

Ar perrillous, and not as they appeir ; 
Beguyling bairnis, that shoots with brissall bouis, 

And dou not drau thair arrouis to thair eir. 
Short butts ar better, vhair thair bouis may beir. 

Far foullis hes ay fair fethers, sum will say : 
Quhen ze haif lost, it is too lait to leir ; 

A turne in tyme, is ay worth other tuay. 

Tak tym in tyme, vhill tyme is to be tane, 

Or ze may wish, and want it vhen ze wald : 
Ze get no grippe agane, if it be gane ; 

Then, vhill ze haif it, best is for to hald. 
Thoght ze be zong, zit once ze may be aid : 

Tyd will not tarie ; speid or it be spent. 
To prophesie, I dar not be so bald, 

Bot tyn ze tyme, — perhaps ze may repent. 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 203 

Houbeit zour Beuty far on breid be blaune, 

I thank my God, I shame not of my shap ; 
If ze be guid, the better is zour auin, 

And he that getis zou, hes the better hap. 
I wald not sik men in zour credit crap, 

Quha heght zou fairer nor I feir ze find; 
Thairfor, I wald ze lookit, or ze lap, 

And waver not, lyk widdercok in wind. 

If ze be constant, I sail never change ; 

If ze be fickle, I am forc't to flitt ; 
If ze be stedfast, I sail not be strange ; 

If ze be wylie, I wald leirne a wit. 
Ay as ze wse zou, I agrie with it. 

Be doing on : I dout not ze ar wyse. 
Baith heft and blead ar in zour hand, as zit ; 

Then barlacheis or barlachois advyse. 

Can ze not play at Nevie Nevie Nah ? 

A pretty play, whilk children often wse, 
-Quhair ten ties bairnis may to their tin sail tak, 

The neiv with na thing, and the full refuse. 
I will not skar zou, sen ze mynd to chuse, 

Bot put zour hand, by hazard in the creill*; 
Zit men hes mater vharvpon to muse, 

For they must drau ane adder or ane eill. 

Thoght ze be, as I mon confes zou, fair, 

I wald not wish that fra zour freinds ze Cran.J 

Houbeit ze think me to zou no compair, 
I haif the moyan, lyk ane other man. 



204? MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

I neid not waist it, that my elders wan ; 

I hope to help it, if I had my helth. 
Gar ze me gang from zou, whair I began, 

If I wald vant, I wot of griter welth; 

Zit I am not so covetous of kynd, 

Bot I prefer my plesur in a pairt ; 
Thoght I be laich, I beir a michtie mynd ; 

I count me rich, can I content my hairt. 
Zit, or I enter in ane other airt, 

Zour uter ansueir courteously I crave, — 
Quhom ze will keep, or vhom ze will desairt : 

Sa fair ze weill, vhill I the same resave. 



[the poet's dreme.] 

Quhen folish Phaeton had his course outrun, 

And plung'd the fyrie Phlegon in the sea, 
And bright [Aurora] had bot neu begun 

Vpon the grund to cast hir watrie ee ; — 
Quhat tyme the bluid vnto the hairt does flie^ 

As sojouris sure thair Capitan to keep, 
At that tyme Morpheus sent to summond me ; 

Quhom I obeyde, and sa I fell asleep. 

Quhair, in my dreme, I sau anone appeir 
A naiked boy, vha bure a Turkish bou ; 

He nok't ane arrou longer nor a speir, 

The heid wes gold, vhilk brint lyk ony lou. 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 205 

His countenance begouth ay for to grou 
Mair vncouthlyk, vharof I wox afrayde : 

Quod he, " Defend thee, Gallant, if thou don, 
" For thou sail be no longer vnassayit." 

With that he shot, — and hat me on the breist ; 

The sheirand shaft soon slippit to my hairt ; 
Syne bad me cum to zou, and mak requeist, 

Quhair I suld find the salue to heall my smart. 
Vpon my feet incontinent I start, 

And stagring stood, astonisht with the straik : 
Haiv pi tie thairfor on my painfull harte, 

And saif the man that suffers for zour safik.^ 

My harte wes ay at libertie, till nou 

That I did sie zour cumly cristall ene, 
Quhais luifsum looks so peirc't my body thQrou,]] 

That, ay sen syne, zour bondsman I haif be^ne.^ 
I pray thairfor, with sighing from my splene, 

Zour womanheid for to be treu and k£ynd. J 
This paper, in my absence, sail obtene 

To hold me aluay present in zour mynd. 

Fra I be gane, I knau thair ar aneu 

Quha wald be glade zour favour to pro £c lire :3 
Be permanent, houbeit they perseu ; 

Let not sik louns with leasings zou allure ; 
Sua our twa loves for evir sail indure, 

Conjoynd in ane, as fyr is in the flint. 
Found ay zour bigging vhair the grund is sure; 

Sa nather tyme nor travel sail be tint. 



206 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

Tak heid thairto, I hairtlie zou exhort, 

And keep in mynd the counsel I zou give ; 
If that perchance some zonkiers cum athort, 

With facund words, and preissis zou to prieve,- 
Luik this my letter ; it sail zou relieve, 

In absence, alsueil as I war in sight. 
I will not stand with mo words zou to deiv, 

Bot, for this tyme, I bid zou haif Guid nicht. 

[to his maistres.] 

I. 

O cleir, most deir, give eir unto my cry. 

Sueit thing, bening and zing, of yeirs grene, 
But sleuth, haiv reuth : my treuth the tym sail try, 

Remeid with speid, or deid I must sustene ; 
For thoght hes wroght and broght me to dispair ; 
Becaus no signe is shaune, 
That ze held me zour aune, 
That I micht it haif knaune, 
To comfort me of cair. 

II. 
My hairt inwart does smart within my breist ; 

My mynd most kynd is pynd, but recompence 
Of zou, I trou, wha nou regardeth leist 
My wo, but ho to slo me, but offence, 
That am ane lam ; the sam ze may persaive, 
For I am innocent 
And eik obedient. 
If I be permanent, 

Some pruif thairof I haif. 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 207 

III. 

Zour ee may se, in me is no deceit; 

Zour eir perqueir may heir my Constance als. 
Espye if I applye ane vther geat, 

Or oght hes soght quhilk moght be to zou fals. 
Bot ay I stay aluay vpon zour grace. 
In esperance I byd, 
And firmely do confyd, 
That Fortun sail provyd 
For us baith tym and place, 

IV. 

Secreit to meit, my spreit to recreat, 

And pleis myn eis, quhilks deis, for laik of sight, — 
And kisse with blisse ; for this may mitigat 

My quent torment. Consent, sen it is richt, 
And do thairto as sho that may alone 
My persone sair or spill. 
To grant me lyf, or kill, 
All lyes into zour will, 
As ze list to dispone. 

V. 

Restore thairfore to glore precordial!, 

My lif, from stryf or knyf of Atropus. 
With noy destroy my joy terrestriall, 

To blame zour name with fame most odious, 
If ze sail be to me without respect 
So strange to let me sterv, 
Except ze sie me suerve ; 
Then do as I deserv, 
Bot causles not correct. 



208 , MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

VI. 

For that, ze wat, may lat a man to love, 

And hald him cauld vha wald to zou obey. 
Be war, ou'r far ze gar me not remove ; 

Bot give me leiv, and greiv me not I pray : 
For out of doubt about us ar aneu, 
Quha deadly hatred haith, 
That we love other baith. 
God keep vs from thair skaith ! 
Fair weill, my Lady treu. 

£lN PRAIS OF HIS MAISTRES/] 

Quhy bene ze, Musis, all so long 

On sleep, this mony a day ? 
Let not zour harmony and song 

In silence thus decay. 
Distill by influence 
Zour stremis of eloquence, 
That, throu zour heuinlie liquor sueit, 
My pen in rhetoric may fleit, 

For till expres 

The comlines 

Of my Maistres, 
With joy repleit. 

To kythe hir cunning, Natur wald 

Indeu hir with sik grace, 
My spreit rejosis to behald 

Her smyling angels face, 
Lyk Phoebus in the south, 
To skorne the rest of youth. 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 209 

Hir curling loks, lyk golden rings, 
About hir hevingly haffats bings ; 

Quhilks do decore 

Hir body more, 

Quhom I adore 
Above all things, 

Hir brouis ar brent : lyk golden threeds, 

Hir siluer shyning brees. 
The bony blinks, my courage feeds, 

Of hir tua christall ees, 
Tuinkling illuminous, 
With beams amorous ; 
Quhairin tua naikit boyis resorts, 
Quhais countenance good hope reports ; 

For they appeir 

Vith smyling cheir, 

As they wald speir 
At me some sports, 

Hir comelie cheeks of vive colour, 

Of rid and vhyt ymixt, 
Ar lyk the sanguene jonet flour 

Into the lillie fixt. 
Hir mouth mellifluous, 
?Iir breathing savorous, 
Hir rosie lippis most eminent, 
Hir teeth lyk pearle of orient ; 

Hir halse more vhyt 

Nor I can wryt 

With that perfyt 
And sapient. 



210 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS, 

Hir vestall breist of ivorie, 

Quhairon ar fixit fast 
Tua tuins of clene virginitie, 

Lyk boullis of alabast. 
Out throu hir snauie skin, 
Maist cleirlie kythes within, 
Hir saphir veins, lyk threids of silk, 
Or violets in vhytest milk. 

If Natur sheu, 

Hir hevinly heu 

In vhyt and bleu, — 
It wes that ilk. 

Hir armes ar long, hir shulders braid, 

Hir middill gent and small : 
The mold is lost, vhairin wes maid 

This A per se of all. 
The Gods ar in debait 
Concerning hir estait ; 
Diana keeps this Margarit, 
Bot Hymen heghts to match hir meit : 

Deserve let sie 

Amount from thrie. 

Go, merie she, 
That is so sueet, 

Quhat can both shoot and open loks, 

As can the only kie ? 
Persaiv this pithie paradox, 

And mark it weill in me. 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 211 

Quhais beutie hes me burt ? 
Quhais beutie healls my hurt ? 
Quhais beutie blythnes me bereivis ? 
Quhais beautie gladnes to me givis ? 

Quhais beutie, lo, 

Does me vndo f 

Quhais beutie, to, 
My spreit revivis ? 



£SEN FORTUN IS MY FO.] 

lovesome Lady, lamp of light ! 
Freshest of flours fair ! 

Thy beutie and thy bemes bright 
Maks me to sigh full sair. 

My noy reneueth evirie nicht, 
And kendlis all my cair ; 
£And so] 

1 sigh, suppose I may na mair, 

Sen Fortun is my fo. 

Sometyme I had gude confidence 

That plesur suld succeid, 
Quhill in the tyme of our absence 

Good fortun did me leid ; 
But nou I find my esperance 

Almaist ou'rcome with dreid : 
Also 
I feill the fatal Nymphis threid, 

Sen Fortun is my fo. 



212 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

Is this your Lau, ze Gods ! of Love ? 

Or do yee so consent, 
Into zour counsels from above, 

All lovers to torment ? 
Better it war for our behove, 

We had not bene acquent, 
Nor go 
To love, and na way be content, 

Sen Fortun is our fo. 

1 put no doubt bot ze wald do 

Zour pouer me to saive, 
Bot tym will not consent thairto, 

So grit vnhap we haif ; 
Zit be ze sure, that ze ar scho 

Quhome to, my harte I gaive, 
But mo. 
Grant me some kyndnes vhen I crave, 

Thoght Fortun be our fo. 

Let not my treuth and constancie 

For euer be forzet, 
Nor tak no plesur for to sie 

Me fettrit in zour net ; 
Bot grant me als grit libertie, 

As first vhen we tua mett, 
My Jo. 
I greue for it, I can not gett. 

Sen Fortun is my fo. 



MISCELLANEOUS FOEMS. -13 

Alacc ! these golden houris ar gone, 

Quhen nane did vs debar ; 
That nou sik licience haif we none, 

Skantlie to speik afar : 
Zit wicked peple will suppone, 

We do the thing we dar, 
Both tuo. 
My Curage prikis me to ryd liar, 

Thoght Fortun be my fo. 



[to his maistres/] 

plesand plant, passing in pulchritude, — 
O lillie, lude of all the Muses nyne, 

1 laik ingyne to shau thy celsitude ; 

A tearie fluid does blind thir ees of myne. 
Thyn eirs inclyne vnto my cairfiill cry : 

Sen nane bot I hes for thy person pyne, 
Let me not tyn, whom thou intends to try. 

Tak tym in tym, for tym will not remane, 

Nor come agane, if that it once be lost. 
Sen we ar voc'd, whairfor suld we refrane 

To suffer pain for ony bodies bost ? 
My vexit ghost, quhilk rageing love dois roste, 

Is brin t almost, thrugh heit of my desyr ; 
Then quench this fyre, quhilk runneth ay the poste 

Out throu my cost, consuming bain and lyre. 



214 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

Nou if this heit descend into my levir, 

A fervent fevir sail soon my harte infect ; 
Thairfor correct this humor nou or nevir, 

Or we dissevir, suppose we be suspect. 
Go to, — vhat rek ? and gar the bealing brek ; 

For fra it lek, I hald the danger done. 
Then speid zou soon, that we no tym neglect 

To tak effect in waning of the mone. 



[HE REJOISES, AS DID FORMERLY THE GREEKS.] 

Before the Greeks durst enterpryse 

In armes to Troy toun to go, 
They set a Counsell sage and wyse, 

Apollo's ansueir for to kno ; 
Hou they suld speid, and haif succes 
In that so grit a busines. 

Then did they send the wysest Grekis 
To Delphos, vhare Apollo stode ; 

Quha, with the teiris vpon thair cheeks, 
And with the fyrie flammis of wod, 

And all such rites as wes the guyse, 

They made that grit God sacrifyce. 

Quhen they had endit thair requests, 
And solemnely thair service done, 
And drunke the vyne, and kild the beists, 
v A polio made them ansueir soon ; 
Hou Troy and Trojans haiv they suld, 
To vse them hailly as they wold. 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 215 

Quhilk ansueir maid thame not so glad, 
That thus the victors they suld be, 

As evin the ansueir that I had, 
Did gritly joy and comfort me ; 

Quhen, lo, — thus spak Apollo myne, 

All that thou seeks, it sail be thyne. 



[he bids adeu to his maistres.] 

Adeu, O desie of delyt; 
Adeu, most plesand and perfyt ; 

Adeu, and haif gude nicht: 
Adeu, thou lustiest on lyve ; 
Adeu, suete thing superlatyve; 

Adeu, my lamp of licht. 
Lyk as the lyssard does indeid 

Leiv by the manis face, 
Thy beutie lykuyse suld me feid, 
If we had tyme and space. 
Adeu nou ; be treu nou, 

Sen that we must depairt. 
Forzet not, and set not 
At licht my constant hairt. 

Albeit my body be absent, 
My faithfull hairt is vigilent 

To do zou service treu ; 
Bot vhen I hant into the place 
Quhair I wes wont to sie that face, 

My dolour does reneu* 



216 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

Then all my plesur is bot pane, 

My cairis they do incres ; 
Vntill I sie your face agane, 
I live in hevynes. 

Sair weeping, but sleeping, 
The nichts I ouerdryve ; 
Quhylis murning, vhylis turning, 
With thoghts pensityve. 

Somtym Good Hope did me comfort, 
Saying, the tym suld be bot short 

Of absence to endure. 
Then Curage quickins so my spreit, 
Quhen I think on my lady sueet, 

I hald my service sure. 
I can not plaint of my estait, 

I thank the Gods above ; 
For I am first in hir consait, 
Qnhom both I serve and love. 
Hir freindis ay weindis 
To caus hir to revok ; 
Sho bydis, and slydis 
No more then does a rok. 

O Lady, for thy constancie, 
4 A faithfull servand sail I be, 

Thyn honour to defend ; 
And I sail surelie, for thy saik, 
As doth the Turtle for hir maik, 

Love to my lyfis end. 



.MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 217 

No pene nor travell, feir nor dreid, 

Sail caus me to desist. 
Then, ay vhen ze this letter reid, 
Remember hou we kist ; 

Embracing, with lacing, 

With others teirs sueet. 
Sik blissing in kissing 
I quyt till we tua meit. 

[he bewailes his wofull estait.] 

Quha wareis all the wicked weirds, bot I ? 

Or vha, bot I, suld curse the thrauard faits ? 
To vhom, bot me, does destinies deny 

Some kynd of comfort to thair auin estaits ? 
For vhom, bot me, doth Love in ambush ly, 

With hidden huiks in his beguyling baits 
Of sugred sueet dissaitis ? 

W r eill ward thou weep, O ou'r audacious ee ! 

Sen with a sight thou wes so soon oursyld. 
I sent the forth, as centinall to see ; 

Bot with a blink dame Beutie thee begyld : 
Fra thou wes fast, and had no force to flie, 

My wofull hairt auay with thee thou wyld, 
Fra me to be exyld. 

To follou thee, AfFectioun tuk the feeld ; 

Fair-heghting Hope wes laith to byd behind : 
Then Curage, with a stomok stoutly steeld, 

Bad Will ga wave his baner with thee wind. 



218 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

Last, Reson rais, ay shotfrie vnder sheeld ; 

Bot Fantasie fast follou'd him behind, 

And bleu him bravelie blind. 

Then lyk a neu maid Mariner, in mist 

Quha saillis the sea, but compasse, lead, or carte, 

By change of wind, wes wrong befor he wist, 
As prentise proud, mair peirter nor expert ; 

Evin so did I, als ignorant, insist, 
As novice neu vnvsit in that art, 
Till I had hurt my harte. 

Or I wes war, I had resauit the wound, 
So dangerous, so deidly, and so deip, 

The strenth vharof gart all my stomok stoujjid] . 
From vein to vein I felt the canker creep, 

The poy sound poynt had peirc't me so profound.] 
Then, welauay ! I culd bot waill and weip, 
And sigh, vhen I sould sleep, 

Love maid my chose, bot Fortun maid my ch[ance.] 
Love follou'd fast, bot fenzeid Fortun fled. 

Love perseveird, in hope of recompance ; 
Bot Fortun fals ay shorde that we suld shed. 

Love willing wes my labour to advance, 
Bot Fortun ay my brydall bakuard led ; 
Quhilk all my bail has bred. 

Zit not a vheet my thraldome I forthink : 

War I to chuse I wald not change my ch[ose.] 

I shaip not, for no suddan shours, to shrink, 
Sen peircing pyks ar kyndlie with the Rose. 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 219 

H onbeit mishap be in my harte a hink, 
Zit I will on hir permanence repose, 
In spyte of Fortun's nose. 

The highest hillis mair thretnit ar with thunder ; 

And tallest trees with tempest ofter tryde, 
Nor hillocks small, or bramble bushis vnder : 

Vnworthie things ar aluay leist invyde. 
Quhat Natur works, we may not think it wonder ; 

Love longer lastis the derer that we by it : 
This dou not be deny-it. 

Let Weirds rin wod ; let furious Faits fearce ; 

Let Absence vrne ; let Cupid's Arrou peirce ; 
Let Fortun froun ; let Destinie's despyte ; 

Let tratling tongues, let bablers ay bakbyte ; 
Let enemies my haples hap reheirce ; — 
I cair not by thair malice all a myte : 
In Love is my delyte. 



[the night is neir gone.] 

Hay ! nou the day dauis ; 
The jolie Cok crauis. 
Nou shrouds the shauis, 

Throu Natur an one. 
The Thissell-cok cryis 
On louers vha lyis. 
Nou skaillis the skyis ; 

The nicht is neir gone. 



220 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

The feilds ou'rflouis 
With gouans that grouis ; 
Quhair lilies lyk lou is, 

Als rid as the rone. 
The Turtill that treu is, 
With nots that reneuis 
Hir pairtie perseuis. 

The night is neir gone. 

Nou Hairts with Hynds, 
Conforme to thair kynds, 
Hie tursis thair tynds, 

On grund vhair they grone. 
Non Hurchonis, with Hairs, 
Ay passis in pairs ; 
Quhilk deuly declars 

The night is neir gone. 

The sesone excellis 

Thrugh sueetnes that smellis. 

Nou Cupid compells 

Our hairts echone 
On Venus vha vaiks, 
To muse on our maiks, 
Syn sing, for thair saiks, 

The night is neir gone. 

All curageous knichts 
Aganis the day dichts 
The breist plate, that bright is, 
To feght with thair fone. 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 221 

The stoned steed stampis 
Throu curage and crampis, 
Syn on the land lampis : 
The night is neir gone. 

The freiks on feildis 
That wight wapins weildis 
With shyning bright shields 

At Titan in trone. 
Stiff speirs in reists, 
Ouer cursors crists, 
Ar brok on thair breists : 

The night is neir gone. 

So hard ar thair hittis, 
Some sueyis, some sittis, 
And some perforce flittis 

On grund vhill they grone. 
Syn Grooms that gay is 5 
On blonks that brayis 
With suords assay is : 

The night is neir gone. 



[an admonitioun to zoung lassis/] 

A bony No, with smyling looks agane, 
I wald ze leirnd, sen they so comely ar. 

As touching Zes, if ze suld speik so plane, 
I might reprove zou to haif said so far. 
Noght that zour grant, in ony wayis, micht gar 



C Z%% MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

Me loth the fruit that Curage ocht to chuse ; 

Bot I wald only haif zou seme to skar, 
And let me tak it, fenzeing to refuse ; 

And warsill, as it war agains zour will, 
Appeiring angrie, thoght ze haif no yre : 

For haif, ze heir, is haldin half a fill. 
I speik not this, as trouing for to tyre : 
Bot, as the forger, vhen he feeds his fyre, 

With sparks of water maks it burne more bald ; 
So, sueet denyall doubillis bot desyr, 

And quickins curage fra becomming cald. 

Wald ze be made of, ze man mak it nyce ; 

For dainties heir ar delicat and deir, 
Bot plentie things ar prysde to lytjll pryce. 

Then thoght ze hearken, let no wit ze heir, 
Bot look auay, and len thame ay zour eir ; 

For, folou Love, they say, and it will flie. 
Wald ze be lov'd, this lessone mon ze leir ; 

Flie vhylome Love, and it will folou thee. 

£montgomerie ? s welcome to lord semple, on 
his returne from france.]] 

Aualk, Montgomery's Muse, 

And sey vhat thou can say : 
Thy long and just excuse 
Maecenas taks auay ; 

Quhais high heroique actis 
His name immortall maks. 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 223 

Then welcome hame, my Lord ; 

Suete Semple, welcome hame ; 
Quhais vertues wan the word 
Thatformest flies with Fame ; 
Quha of, all cuntreyis crakis, 
And [[the immortall maks.]] 

Thou wan the flour in France, 

With eviry kynd of armes, 
As dager, suord, and lance, 
In pastyme and alarmes. 
Thy leiving no man laks, 
Bot the immortall maks. 

Thy body, mynd, and spreit, 

Disposd, resolved, and quik ; 
Thy hairt, thy hands, thy feit, 
Magnanime, strong, and sik 
As Curage all contracts : 
Quhilk the immortall maks. 

Thy meeknes into moues, 

And aufulnes in yre, 
From sik a fontan floues 
As springs for till aspyre. 
Sik frute thy travell taks, 
And the immortall maks. 

Thy cuntrie, King, and kin, 

Thy qualities decoird. 
All pairts vhair thou wes in, 

Thinks long for thee, my Lord : 



224 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

So wyd thy word does waxe, 
That the immortall maks. 

Sen poets maist profound 

Thy praysis do [jproclame,] 
My trorapet to sail sound 
The famphar of thy fame, — 
Quod he vhom siknes wraks, 
And the immortall maks. 

Then happy travell tane, 

Sen thou hes boght the best ; 
Thoght pairt of gold be gane, 
Thy honour is merest. 

Men weill imployes thair paks, 
That thame immortall maks. 



£he prayis to his maistres for pitie.H 

Remember rightly, vhen ze reid, 
The woe and dreid, but hope to speid, 

I drie, into dispair. 
My hairt within my breist does bleid 
Vnto the deid, vithout remeid. 

I'm hurt, I wot not vhair. 
Alace ! vhat is the caus, think I, 
But grace, that I in langour ly ? 

The more I drink, more I desyr. 
As I aspyre, the fervent fyre 
My cairfull corps consume. 
10 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 225 

Me to torment, no tym ze tyre, 

Baith [[bane and lyre, J throu Cupid's yre, 

To dead, but ony dome. 
I burne, I freize in yce also ; 
I turne, for freindship, to my fo. 

In prison sen ze hald my hairt, 
Releiv my smart ; drau out this darte 

Furth of my bailfull breist. 
Haif pitie on my painfull parte. 
As by the carte men knoues the arte, 

Both south, north, west, and eist, 
Ze may persave my wounds ar grene, 
I say, and look bot to my ene, 

Quhais longsum looks my lyf beuryis. 
Wo to the spyis first did suppryis 

My hairt within zour hald ! 
Quhilk fast into zour fetters lyis, 
In dout vhat wyse that feirfull Syse 

Pronunce thair sentence wald. 
I quake for feir ; my puncis lope ; 
I shake betuixt dispair and hope. 

To crueltie if ze consent, 
I am content, as patient, 

Zour plesur to fulfill ; 
Or, pleis zour pitie to prevent 
My grit torment, or I be shent, 

Chuse zou to spair or kill. 
I stand of death no vhitt affrayde. 
Command, and ze sail be obeyde. 
p 



226 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 



£he callis on death to relieve HIM/] 

The wofull working of my woundit hairt, 
Quhilk danger hes neir drivin in dispair, 

Is sorer to sustene then is the darte 

Of Death, vhilk suld dissolve my cruell cair. 

Thrugh fortun frail ; vhais vnfelicitie 
Hes wroght in me sik caus of sighing sair, 
That death suld be no lothsum thing to me. 

Come, gentill Depth, and that with suddentie, 

And mak dispatch of this puir hairt of myne. 
Thy sterving straik with force thou let out flie, 

And light on me, to end my peirles pyne. 
Sen sho vhom I do serve will not inclyne, 

Nor grant me grace, my pains for to deploir, 
Bot will, for want of pitie sie me tyne, 

Come, gentle Death, and let me die thairfor* 

Alace ! that euer sik perfyte beutie 

As is in zou, my lovesome Lady deir, 
Suld haif bene plac't thair, vhair as Pietie 

Might not most frelie in hir place appeir ! 
Alace I that Danger, with hir deidly cheir, 

Such Lordship had £vhair we maist treuly love !] 
Alace ! that ever a zoldin Prisoneir 

Suld feill the peirles painis that I nou prove ! 

Alace ! suld I for hairtie love be hated ? 
Or suld I find, for friendly favour, fead ? 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 227 

Al ace ! suld my treu service thus be quated 
With hir that is the chose of womanheid ? 

Alace ! suld sho that suld, of right, remeid 
The deidly dolour daylie I sustene, 

Be merciles ? Then wish I to be deid, 
And so be quyt of all my cairs clene. 



Cdisplesur, with his deadly dairt.H 

I. 

Displesur, with his deadly dairt 
So horriblie, hes hurt my hairt, 

With sik ane heid 

That no remeid, 

Save only deid, 

Can cure my smart. 
The poysond poynt me priks, 
Quhilk in my stomok stiks 
Profound ; 

Quhais venom rains 

Thrugh al my vains : 
No salue can mak me sound. 

II. 
I count not of my lyf a cute. 
My hairt hes bictdin sik rebute, 

That it wald evin, 

God knauis in hevin, 

Wish to be revin 



228 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

It is so crost with cair, 
That it may nevir mair 
Revive. 

Cum thairfor, Death, 

And cut my breath : 
I list not longer live. 

TIL 

The Destinies my lyf despytis, 
And bitter baill my bouells bytis. 

These thrauard thrie, — 

Curst mot they be ! — 

To martyr me, 

Laughis and delyts ; 
For they haif wroght my weird 
Vnhappiest on eird, 
And ay 

Continues still 

To work my ill, 
With all mischief they may. 

IV. 

Hes hevins, — hes erth, — hes God, — hes air, 
Determinat that I dispair ? 
Hes all in ane 
My contrare tane ? 
For me allane, 
They ar too sair. 
Sen thair is no remorce* 
My patience perforce 

Hes bene. 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 229 

Of ills, I wse 
The leist to ehuse : 
I may not mend bot mene. 

V. 

Might my misluk look for relief, 
Or zit doght I digest my grief, 

Then wer I wyse, 

It to disguyse ; 

Bot lo, vhair lyis 
My maist mischief I 
I smore if I conceill,— * 
I wrak if I reveill, 

My hurt. 

Judge, ze vha heirs, 

Quhat burthene beiris 
My stomok, stuft with sturt. 

IV. 

For, from Carybdis vhill I flie, 
I slyde in Sylla, ze may sie ; 

I saill, it semes, 

Tuixt tua extremis, 

That danger denies 
My ship sail die. 
Nou, Sone, since I must smart, 
Thou of my age that art 

The staffe, — 

Evin Mvrray myne, 

Len me a lyne, 
To end my Epitaph. 



230 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 



THE ELEGIE. 



Now, since the day of our depairt appeirs, 

Guid resone wald, my hand to zou suld wr£yd 

That vhilk I can not weill expres, but teirs ; 

Videlicet, — " Adeu ! my Lady vhyt." 

Adeu, my love, my lyking, and delyt, 

Till I returne ; for vhilk I think so lang, 

That absence els does all my bouells byt ; 

Sik gredie grippis I feell befor I gang. 

Resave, vhill than, a harte lyk for to maiig, 

Quhilk freats and fryis in furious flammis of f [yre ;] 

Keep it in gage, bot let it haif no wrang 

Of sik as may perhaps his place desyre. 

This is the summe of that vhilk I requyre : 

If it hes ocht offendit, let it smart ; 

If it be true, then let it haif the hy re. 

Oh ! wold to God ze might behold this harte ! 

Quharin a thousand things ze suld advert : 

Thair suld ze sie the wound vhilk ze it g£ave ;] 

Thair suld ze sie the goldin deadly darte; 

Thair suld ze sie, hou ze bereft it haiv ; 

Thair suld ze sie zour image by the laiv ; 

Thair suld ze sie zour hevinly angels face ; 

Thair suld ze soon my permanence persaiv; 

Thair suld ze sie zour name haif only palace ;^| 

Thair suld ze sie my languishing, alace ! 

For our depairt : bot since ze knou my painis, 

I hope, if ze considder weill the case, 

And spyis the teirs vhilks ouer my visage rains, 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 231 

If in zour breist sik sympathie remanis, 

Then sail ze suffer som thing for my saik. 

Quhair constant love is aluay, it constranis, 

In weill or wo, coequall pairt to take ; 

Lyk as my members all begins to quake, 

That of zour duill the half I do indure, 

Quhilk I suppone ze for my absence mak. 

Then haif no clout that ony creature 

Can dispossesse zou of my hairt, be sure, 

Nor zit remove from zou my constant mynd. 

Since 1 am zours, quhom love culd not allure, 

Sen I wes borne, till nou that I enclynd 

To zou allone, for whom my hairt is pynd. 

Of Lovis fyr befor, I nevir kneu, 

Nor zit acquent with Cupid in this kynd ; 

Bot look ! hou soon gude fortun to me sheu 

Zour sueet behaviour and zour hevinly heu, 

As A per se, that e vir Natur wroght, 

Then vncouth cairs in me began aneu, 

Both in my spreit and in my trublit thoght ; 

My libertie vhilk I in bondage broght, 

Sa that my frank and frie desyre, or than, 

Ane hunder places for my plesur soght, — 

And ay sail do, whill I am living man, 

Sail ze then, efter our depairt, forzet 

That vhilk is zours, and change on na wyse can ? 

Hou soon myn ee no sight of zours culd get, 

It weeping said, — " O deidly corps, defet ! 

" Quhair bene these lamps of light, these crist[all ees,] 

" Quhilks maid ws ay so mirrie vhen we mett ?" 

Quod I agane, with sighing voce, — et Thou sees, 



232 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

u Thoght thou for dolour vnder shadou dees. 

" Be not abaisd, suppose thou haif no sight. 

" Thy sun is hid, and keeps no more degrees ; 

cc Bot, for thy sake, goes to at none, for night : 

f< That is to say, that hevinly visage bright, 

" Quharon thou wont thy fantasie to feid, 

(C Is far frathe ; vhair throu thou laikis [[thy sight."]] 

So, lustie Lady, well of womanheid ! 

Myne ee and 1 but comfort ar indeed, 

And do bewaill thy wofull absence ay. 

Regrating zou, my woundit hairt does bleed ; 

And than I think, vhen I am far auay, 

Leist that, mein tym, blind Love suld thus a£ssay[] 

All meins he micht, by craft or zit ingyne, 

To open vp his blindit ees, that they 

Might clerelie see these gratius ees of thyn ; 

And so, beholding sik a sight divyn, 

His mynd, to love the, shortly suld be mov'd ; 

And caus me, at ane instant, for to tyne 

The thing quhilk I sa lang and leall haif lov'd. 

Be ze not constant, vhen ze sail be prov'd, 

Love sail ou'rcome zour honest ansueirs all ; 

That ze sail think, to zeild, it zou behov'd: 

Love is so slie ; vhais fairdit language sail 

Peirce and get entrie throu a stony wall. 

I wish zou, thairfor, with him to be war : 

His mouth is hony, bot his hairt is gall. 

On kitlest huiks, the sliest baits they ar. 

If he the heght, or slielie drau the nar, 

Thou ansueir him, — " Go, Love, reteir the hence ; 

For I love one vho hes my hairt so far, 

He merits not to tyne him, but offence." 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 23 5 



THE NAVIGATIOVN. 

Haill ! bravest burgeoun brekking to the Rose, 
The deu of grace thy leivis mot vnclose ; 
The stalk of treuth mot grant the nurishing ; 
The air of faith support thy florishing ; 
Thy noble counsell, lyk trees about thy grace, 
Mot plantit be, ilk ane into his place : 
Quhais ruiting sure, and toppis reaching he, 
Mot brek the storm e, befor it come to the. 
They of thy bluid, mot grou about thy bordour, 
To hold thy hedge into ane perfyt ordour, 
As fragrant flouris of ane helthsome smell, 
All venemous beistis from the to expell. 
The preachers treu mot ay thy gardners £be,J 
To dense thy root from weeds of heresie. 
Thy garden wall, mak the Neu Testament ; 
So sail thou grou without impediment ; 
All lands about sail feir thy Excellence, 
And come fra far, to do thee reverence : 
As I myself, and all the rest, ze se, 
From Turkie, Egypt, and from Arabic 

As for my self, I am ane German borne, 
Quha ay this fasion, vhilk ze se, hes worne ; 
Quhilk lenth of tym culd nevir caus me change, 
Thoght I haiv bene in mony cuntrey strange ; 
Thrugh all Europe, Afrik, and Asia, 
And throu the neu fund out America. 
All thair conditiouns I do vnderstand, 
Baith of the peple, and also of the land ; 



234 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS, 

Quhais trim attyre wer tedious to tell ; 
Something zour grace sail shortly sie, zour sell : 
In contrair clething, zour Excellence sail ken 
The Turk/ the More, and the Egyptien. 

Nou sail I shau vnto zour Majestie, 
Hou they and I fell first in company. 

Constantinople sometym of Christendome, 
Pertening to ane Empreour of Rome, 
Quho, as we read, wes callit Constantyn : 
Eftir his name he callit the citie syn, 
Becaus he lov't it best of tounis all. 
Euen thair he sat into his tribunall, 
As in the Metropolitan of Grece ; 
Quhilk his successours bruikit lang in peace, 
Till tym that they, throu thair iniquitie, 
Wer givin ouer vnto the enemie, 
As for ane prey, al hail to be devoird. 
Thair zong men slayn, thair virgins war deflorde ; 
Thair tender babis, zit en the nurish knee, 
Tane by the feet, and cast into the see. 
Let vther lands a mirrour of this mak, 
And, by thair nichtbours, example let thame tak. 
I will not judge, vhairfor that God so did ; 
Becaus his secreits ar to all men hid : 
Bot weill I wot the Lord did so permit ; 
For vhy ? — the Turk does bruik this citie zit, 
And much of Grece he hes into his hands. 
Bot for to tell zou, hou the citie stands, 
Hard by the syde of the auld Pontus sea, 
Foment it lyis the land of Natalie. 



^MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 235 

Quha in these pairts pleisis for to hant, 

The Turks pasport neids not for to want ; 

Sa I myself, as ane among the laiv, 

Requyrit ane, \hilk he me glaidly gaiv, 

That I micht come and sie this noble toun, 

Quharof befor I hard so grit renoun. 

Quhilk vhen I come, my fortun wes to be 

Ludgit perchance with this same companie. 

Soupit togither ; in ane Chalmer lay, 

Crackand ouer heid, whill it wes neir hand Qday.^ 

I speird at thame, vhair that they last co£me fra,3 

And eftirward, vhair they myndit to ga. 

a We duell," say they, " vnder the star Antarctic : J 

Nou, wald we sie the Vrses and Pole Art^ic,^ 

We shaip to saill neir the Septentrion, 

Touards the North, and helthsome regione 

Nou callit Scotland, as we haif hard report 

Of wandring fame, vhilk fleeth ay athort. 

Quhair presently beginneth for to ring, 

So sapient a zing and godly King, 

A Salomon for richt and judgement. 

In eviry langage he is eloquent. 

All lands about do beir of him record, 

He is the chosen vessell of the Lord. 

To sie this King, nou glaidly wald we go ; 

And, if ze pleis to tak ane pairt also, 

Ze ar bothe welcome, and richt necessar, 

Vnto his Grace our comming to declair ; 

Far ze haif travellit throu mony lands, 

And eviry language also vnderstands." — 



236 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

t€ Content," quod I ; and so we wer agreit : 
Fraughtit our ship, and syne our anker weyde. 

Phoebus nou rysing, with his laughing grace 
Smylit on Neptun's still and calmit face. 
Vp uent our saillis, tauntit to the huins ; 
The trumpets soundit tuentie mirrie tuins. 
Vp went our boyis to the toppis abone ; 
And ou'r the bordour shook our topsaill soon. 
Some went before, for to shaik out the blind. 
Wp went our bonnets ; our missens vp behind. 
Some, to the gueit fattis for to bedeu the saills, 
Bothe foir and eft, our taikle drauis and haillis. 
Our bottismen our geir perfytlie neits. 
Fair wes the wind, and roum betuene tua sheits. 
Maisters and pilots, cunning in that arte, 
Went to the compas, for to prik the carte, 
For to persaiv the dangers vhair they lay : 
We passingers went to the chesse to play ; 
For in that airt we nothing vnderstude, 
Thairfor we did thame nather ill nor good. 

Our ship wes clene, and saillit very fast. 
Of Hellespont, or we the straits had past, 
We struik at Cestus, and at Abydon ; 
Quhair passing ships are rypit, euery one> 
To sie if they haif goods that ar forbiddin ; 
So, from thair presence, ze may haif no thing hiddin ; 
For these tua Castells ar the only kees 
Of all Turkie, and do divyde the sees, 
Pontus Euxinus, from the Mediterran. 
On Asia syd, appears zit most plane, 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 237 

The wals of the old and famous Troy, 

Quhilks, long ago the Greeks did destroy. 

The poets wryts, that in that place also, 

Leander died, suimming to Hero. 

Sik Pleonasmus figurs I refuse : 

I shape a shorter syncopa till vse. 

And, to my purpose quicklie for to cum, 

We entred nixt in Mediterraneum. 

Vnto the Rhods, we saild the redy way ; 

Quhilk wes shortsyne of Christendome, they say. 

To Creta nixt, our course directit we, 

Quhair that they mak this noble Malmesie. 

Betuixt the Malt and Cicill^ lay our rout. 

The wind come skant : we docht not double [out.^ 

Fra that we sau, thair micht no better be, 

We plungit vp the coast of Calabrie. 

Our Maister soon his lyttil vhissell cheird ; 

His mariners incontinent compeird ; 

And eviry man did by his taikling stand, 

To haill and drau, as he gaiv them command. 

" To saill vp Sigeum, Mates, we ar assuird ; 
Thairfor tak on zour babert luif abuird. 
Out with zourboulings. The wind is south south-west. 
Wp with zour sheats, and haill them to the best. 
Come no lauer, bot luif a lytill we ; 
For zon is Sicill, with his heads thrie ; 
Quhais shape, ze sie, is lyk to Cerberus ; 
And, for to deall with, no les dangerous. 
Zon is Mount iEtna, whair the fyre comis out, 
Zon is Charybdis, that vhirlis ay about ; 



238 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

And zon is Sylla, on the other shore, 

Resisting Neptun, making him to rore. 

Steir studdie, Mate, fra ze zour self hes sene thame : 

Thair is bot dead, or we mon throu betuene thame." 

Fra that we come this gredy gulph within, 
We micht not heir ane other, for the din. 
On baburd syde, the vhirling of the sand ; 
On steirbuird syd, the roks lay off the land. 
Betuixt the tua, we tuik sik taillzeweis, 
At hank and buick, we skippit syndrie seis. 
As ane is done, another neu begins. 
Quhill we war past, our hair stude widdirshins. 
God saif 'd our ship, and ruled our noble ruther, 
And helpt vs throu, as he hes mony vther. 
Fra we wer past, I wot if we were fane. 
We will not grene to gang that gait agane. 

We entrit next in the Tyrrhenum sea, 
And sailit to tua ylis in Italie ; 
Sardinia, not far from Corsica. 
We wat ane anchor evin betuixt they tua. 
We weyde fra thyn, and peyde our anchor custum, 
And entrit nixt into the sea Liguscum, 
By Minork and Majork, in the Mediterran ; 
And so alongst all the coast of Spain. 
Gebraltars straits, at length, syn passit we, 
And entred in the wyd and ocean sea ; 
Quhais moving maks, as writs Plutarc^hus,^ 
Into the mone, ane face appeir to vs. 
I will not dippe into Astronomie, 
For feir I fall, in cace I clim so hie : 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 239 

It is the arte that I did nevir leime. 
Belyve we left all Aragon a-sterne. 

Be we had saillit, four and tuentie hours, 
The lift begouth for to ou'rcast with shours. 
The cluds blak ou'rquhelmit all the sky is. 
Neptunus ryders begouth also to ryis ; 
The bouand Dolphin, tumbland lik a vhele : 
Quharby our Maister vnderstude right weill, 
That Eolus wes kindling vp in yre. 
The heuins all vox rid as ony fyre. 
The cluds rave in shours of grit hailstanis. 
Doun, with a clappe, come all our saillis at anis. 
From the Northeist thair come an vgly blast. 
Maid vp our takill, and our buird went our Tmast.]] 
The storme merest, four dayis, mair and m[air;] 
Our maister also begouth for to dispair ; 
Quhill the fifth day, that it began to cleir : 
Then, as we micht, we mendit vp our ge[ir Q 
Quharof the leist pairt wes remanit haill. 
Zit at the last we come to Portingaill. 
Glaid wes our fellouis, fra that they sau the shore, 
And bettir hairted nor they wer before. 
They tuik some curage, and begouth to crak. 
First, the Egyptian, he began and spak : 
" Wes it not heir vhair Pharao's dochter landit, 
First of the Scots, as we do vnderstand it." 
The Turk alledgit, Gathelus wes a Greke. 
So everie man did his opinione speke. 
Zit baith thair menings wes, I vnderstude, 
Zour grace wes camming of thair ancient blude 2 
2 



240 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

Quhilk wes the caus that they so willinglie 
Had cum so far, to se zour Majestie. 
Thus cracking on, we did the way ou'rdryve, 
Quhili we ; at length, in Ireland did aryve ; 
Quhilk wes begun, they said, be thair forbears. 
Some held thame treu, and others held thame lears ; 
Some wald say zea, and others some said nay. 
With Pro and Contra, so shortnit we the way. 

Of Osshane syne we passit soon the yle, 
In Jarsay and Grinisay, within a pretie vhyle. 
Alongst Ingland, within the Yle of Wight ; 
In at the Nedles, our Pilot tuke vs right ; 
Furth at Sanct Hands ; and entrit in pace 
Then to the Douns, vhair that we raid a space. 
Fra they persaiv'd the hils high of Calk, 
One to another they begouth to talk : 
" Thir ar the hills, surely we suppone, 
Quharthrou this land is callit Albion." 
They daskand farther,— What, if theQuene wer deid? 
Quha suld be nixt, or to the croun succeid ? 
They follouit forth this argument so far ; 
Syndrie wes sibbe, bot ay zour Grace wes nar. 
" Quha wat,"quod they," bot his Grace may pretend? 
The thing is zit far of that Gxl may send. 
Becaus heirin we na thing vnderstand ; 
We will not hazard for to go a land, 
Leist they perchance micht find some fait in [vs ; J 
As Inglishmen are very captious. 
We weyd from thyn, and wald no langer Hbyde,] 
Bot saild alongst the Inglish haill cost sy[de;] 
The vhilk to vs appeird very fair, 
Thoght notwithstanding all wes ind and bair ; 



MISCELLANEOUS I>OEMS. 241 

Zet fertill baith for bestiall and come : 
Houbeit, or than, that all wes win and shorne. 
Quharas no rare thing in our way we fand, 
Quhill we ary vit hard heir at the hand ; 
Quhar that we sail, evin standing in the see, 
The strongest Craig, we thoght, in Christentie ; 
Baith high and stay, when we wer to it come ; 
Thair wes no way vharby it might be clum : 
And als it stude tua mylis of from the land. 
Euen thair perchance ane fisher boat we f[and ;] 
We speirit at them, vhat kind of craig it [jvves ?] 
They ansueird vs, that it wes cald, The Basse. 
They sheu us als, vha wes thairof the Lord ; 
And hou that men went vp it in a corde; 
And als, hou tua might keep it weil aneugh. 
We said na mair, bot come our way, and leugh. 
" Ze sail," quod they, " sie mony stranger thing, 
If that ze chance to trauell with our King/' 

Then we come sailing to the Porte of Leith. 
To come right in, we thoght it very eith ; 
For other shippis, ather sax or sevin, 
Had come befor ws thair, in to the hevin. 
Becaus that we wer nevir thair afore, 
We tuke the ludging nerest to the shore. 
I haif bene far, bot zit in all my lyfe 
I neuer.sau a minder hartsum wyfe : 
" Be blyth," quod sho, cc for ze sail se our King ; 
God blisse his Grace, and mak him long to ring !" 
Becaus she saw that it wes groune lait, 
Sho gart hir boyis come with vs all the gait ; 
a 



242 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

Quho broght vs heir, vnto zouz Highnes zett, 
Quharas the court with torches all wes sett, 
To shau the way vnto zour Grace's hall, 
That, eftir supper, we might sie the ball. 
My fellouis comes nou : — I mon mak auay. 
God blisse zour Grace ! I haif no more to say. 

A CARTELL OF THE THRE VENTROUS KN1CHTS. 

As Ydilnes is mother of all vyce, 

And Sluggishnes the very sone of shame, 
So Honour is that only pearle of pryce 

That leivis to men ane everlasting name, 

Quhen they ar dead, to live agane by fame, 
Quharof the gredy Curage evir gloirs. 

Quhilk wes the caus, we come so far from haQme,] 
To knau this Court, vhilk all the world de^coirs ;] 
Quhilk for to sie, we saild by syndry shoirs, 

And past the perillous gredy gulfe of Perse, 
And levir sees that syndry shippis devoirs ; 

Quhare is no fish, bot monsters fell and feir£se ; J 

Quhais vgly shappis wer tyrsum to reherse ; 
And mairatou'r, we come not to that end, 

To wery zou, and wast the day in verse, 
Quhilk otheruyse we purpose for to spend ; 
As pairtly by our clething may be kend, 

And vncouth armes, that errant knichts [[wear,]] 
Of forrein lands, vhom Fortun heir hes send, 

To find thy grace, vhom we haif soght so Ufar.]] 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS* 



243 



Than grant thou vs, befor that we come n[ar,3 
Thy saiv sure conduct, that we may be frie 

To prove thy knights. We dout not bot they £dar ,] 
In play or ernest, be bold to brek a tre. 
And so, I trou, dar ony of zon thrie : 

Bot they ar not come heir for sik a thing ; 
Bot rather, for thair Ladyes sake, to se 

Quha fairest runis, and oftest taks the ring. 

Go to than, shirs, and let vs streik a sting. 
Cast crosse or pyle, vha sail begin the play ; 

And let the luifsume Ladyis and the King 
Decerne, as judges, vha dois best, this day. 
So, for my pairt, I haif no more to say. 

God speid zou weill, and keip the timber haill ! 
Wait on zour fortun, vhill sho say zow nay. 

I wish zou weill, if Fortun may availl. 



EPITAPH OF R. SCOT. 

Good Robekt Scot, sen thou art gone to God, 
Cheif of our souerane Colledge Justice Clerks,— 

Vho, vhill thou liv'd, for honestie wes od, 

As wryt beirs witnes of thy worthy werks, — 

So faithfull, for mall, and so frank and frie, 

Sail nevir vse that office, eftir thee. 



244 , MISCELLANEOUS rOEMS. 



EPITAPH OF THE MA1STER OF WORK, [^Sllt ROBERT] 
DRUMMOND OF CARNOK, [^KNIGHT.] 

Stay, Passinger, thy mynd, thy futt, thy ee : 

Vouchsaif, a we, his epitaph to vieu, 
Quha left bot feu behind him, sik as he ; 

Syn leirnd to de, to live agane aneu. 
All k nones this treu, vho noble Carnok kneu. 

This Realme may reu that he is gone to grave. 
All Buildings brave bids Drummond nou, adeu ; 

Quhais lyf furthsheu, he lude thame by the laiv. 
Quhair sail we craiv, sik policie to haiv ? 

Quha with him straiv to polish, build, or plante ? 
These giftis, I grant, God lent him by the laiv; 

Quha mot resaiv his saull to be a sante ! 
To regne with him in evirlasting glore, 
Lyk as his corps his cuntrey did decore. 



EPITAPH OF JOHNE AND PATRIK SHAUES. 

If ethnik aid by superstitious stylis, 
Quhilk poyson zit of Paganisme appeirs, 
Wer stellified to rule the rolling spheirs, 
As pag'nisme poets and profane compylis ; 
Quhais senceles sences Satan so ou'rsylis, 
By oracles illuding all thair eirs, 
In double speches ansuers sik as speirs ; 
Quhilk godles Gods the graceles Grekes begylis : 
Then more praisuorthie Pelicans of Shawis', 
9 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 245 

Quhais saikles bluid wes for zour souerane shed, 
Lo, blessit brether, both in honours bed. 
His sacred self zour trumpet bravely blauis. 
By Castor and by Pollux, zou may boste, 
Deid Shawis, ze live, suppose zour lyfis be loste. 



EPITAPH OF ROBERT, LORD BOYD. 

Heir lyis that godly, noble, wyse, Lord Boyd, 
9 Quha Kirk, the King, and Commounweill decorde ; 
Quhilks war, vhill they this jeuell all injoy'd, 

Defendit, counseld, governd, be that Lord. 
His ancient hous, oft perreld, he restord. 

Tuyse sax and saxtie zeirs he hVd ; and syne, 
By Death, the thrid of Januar, devord, 

In Anno, thryse fyve hundreth, auchtie nyne. 



THE MINDES 

Melodie. 

CONTAYNING CERTAYNE 

Pfalmes of the Kinglie Prophete 

Dauid) applyed to a new pleqfant 

tune, verie comfortable to 

everie one that is rightlie ac- 
quainted therewith. p 




EDINBVRGH 

PRINTED BE ROBERT CHAR- 

teris, Printer to the Kings most 

Excellent Maiestie. 1605. 

Cum Priuilegio Regali. 



The original of C( The Mindes Melodie," — a small octavo 
volume of sixteen leaves, — is anonymous ; but it is pre- 
sumed, no doubt whatever can exist as to the propriety of 
assigning Montgomery as the author. A note at the end 
of the original volume, states, — " The Psalmes that are 
contened in this Booke are these — 1. 4. 6. 15. 19. 23. 43. 
57. 91. rOl. 117. 121. 125. 128. Simeon's Song, and 
Gloria Patri." If Montgomery translated any other 
Psahnes, besides these, with the Second and Thirty-six, 
as given among the cc Devotional Poems/ r in the next di- 
vision, his versions are probably no longer preserved. The 
original mode of printing the stanza has been changed, by 
joining the triplets, and the other short lines together, to 
prevent any unnecessary enlargement of the volume. 



THE MINDES MELODIE. 



PSALME I. 

Blest is the man, yea, happie than, by grace that can 

Eschew ill counsell and the godles gates ; 
And walkes not in the way of sin, nor doth begin 

To sit with mockers in the scornfull sates ; 
But in Iehovaes law delites aright, 
And studies it to know both day and night. 
That man shall bee like to the tree 

Fast planted by the running river, growes ; 
That frute doth beare, in tyme of yeare ; 

Whose leafe shall neuer fade, nor rute vnlouse. 

His actions all ay prosper shall : which shall not fall, 

The godles men ; but as the calfe or sand 
That, day by day, winde driu'th away : therefore, I say, 

The wicked in the judgement shall not stand ; 
Nor sinners rise no more, whom God disdaines, 
In the assemblie where the just remaines. 
For why ? the Lord, who bear'th record, 

Doth know the righteous conuersations ay ; 
And godles gates, which he so hates, 

Shall quite die, perish, and doubtlesse decay. 



250 THE MINDES MFLODIK. 



PSALME IIII. 

To thee I call, in my great thrall and troubles all : 

Hear me, O Lord, my God of righteousnesse. 
Of mercie free, thou hast set mee at libertie. 

Haue mercie, Lord, and rid me from distresse. 
O men of mortall name, how long will yee 
My glorie turne to shame, with vanitie ? 
O sonnes of men, why doe ye then 

Seeke after lies,- with the vngodly ghuest ? 
The Lord aboue doth surelie loue 

The godlie man, and heareth my request. 

In aw therefore, giue God the glore, and sinne no more, 

With quyet mynde examine well your heart. 
Your sweete incense of innocence, with confidence 

Bring to the Lord ; your selves to him conuert. 
The worldlie wretch, all day, doth neuer cease 
For well and wealth to pray, this life to ease. 
But thou, thy grace and louing face, 

With brightfull beames, make on vs, Lord, to shine. 
Graunt vs thy light and fauour bright. 

We pray the, Lord, thine eare to vs incline. 

W T ith heart and voice I will rejoice ; and make my choise 
Of this thy grace, before all worldlie care. 

This treasure great doth me delite with joy perfite, 
More than the wretch for al his goods and gear ; 

As granes and grapes so gay in tyme of yeare, 

That filles his heart, I say, with joyfull cheare. 



THE HINDES MELODIE. 251 

In rest and peace I find release ; 

And wil ly down, and sleepe with sound repose : 
For thou, my guarde, and sure rewarde, 

My help, my hope, doest keep me from my foes. 

PSALME VI. 

Lord, I requyre, that, in thine yre fuming as fyre, 

Thou me no wayes rebuke, nor yet reject. 
Though I doe swerue, and so deserue that I should sterue, 

In mercie, Lord, I pray thee yet correct. 
For griefe and anguish hes me so opprest, 
That in my weary bones I finde no rest. 
My soule and mynde are so sore pynde, 

That it I can expresse in no degree. 
O Lord, I say, how long delay 

Wilt thou, to cure my woe and miserie ? 

Let thy sweete face and wonted grace, in tyme and space 

Return e, to free my soule from all her paine : 
Not for no thing that she can bring, that is condigne ; 

But for thy mercie freely made her gaine. 
For w r hy ? amongst the dead, who shall thee praise ? 
Shall dust and asse in earth, thy glorie blaise ? 
My plaintes trewlie so grieuous be, 

That I am like to swerue, I am so faint. 
All night, I greet ; my couch I weet 

With trickling tears, gusht out with my complaint. 

Mine eyes dim bee, and will not see my shine trewlie ; 
And griefe hes so possest my heauie heart, 



252 THE MINDES MELODIE. 

For feare of those that be my foes, and would rejoise 
To see my wreak, and would my soule subuert. 

But now, — away, all ye that wicked be ! 

For the Lord he hath heard my plaint and crie ; 

And not onelie he hath heard me, 

But granted my request and whole desyre, 

And shall my foes in tyme disclose, i 

And them confound with shame, in his hote yre. 

PSALME VIII. 

Iehova, Lord, who can record, in writ or word, 

Thy name so great on earth and euerie where ? 
Which thou hast plaist, as pleasde thee best, and worthiest, 

Aboue the heauens and christall cleared aire. 
Thou makes thy laude and praise, thy strength and might, 
From breath of babes to rise, both day and night. 
In suckling ones thy graces remaines 

For to be seene, and beautie excellent ; 
The mouth to close of godlesse foes, 

That readie are to slay the innocent. 

When I behold the high heauens mould, that doth vnfold 

Thy wondrous works by thy owne fingers wrought ; 
Themoone so bright, andstarrie light, that shines b}' night, 

With gleaming fires, all formed out of noght ; 
W T hat thing is mortal wight, then do I say, 
Of whome thou, Lord of might, are myndfull ay ? 
The sonne of man, what is he than, 

Whom thou by grace doest choose and beautifie ? 
Yet little lesse, I must confesse, 

Thou hast him made, than Angeis, in degree ; 



THE MINDES MELODIE. 253 

And thou, his name and glorious frame, exalts with fame, 

And crownes his head with royall Majestie ; 
And, as a King, him sets, to raigne ou'r euerie thing 

That life, breath, forme, and shape, hath taine of thee ; 
As sheepe, oxe, horse, and beast that feeds on land ;— 
Yea, all such things are preast at his command ; — 
The fishe that swym with out-spied fin, 

And fowls, each one_, that haunt into the aire : 
Iehova, Lord, who can record 

Thy name, so great on earth and euery wher ? 

PSALME xv. 

O Lord, who shall thy tent indwell celestiall ? 

Who shall abide within thine holie hill ? 
That walks inlight, and doth that's right, with all his might; 

His brother's name doth not reproach and spill ; 
Nor yet can heare his fame, in any sort, 
To be imparde with blame or false report : 
That doth abstaine from euerie meane 

And wrongful way to work his neighbour wo ; 
And in whose sight, the wicked wight 

That God despytes, despyted is also : 

But such as loue the Lord aboue, he doth approue, 
And honours them with loue and reuerence : 

That band doth make, and will not breake, forlossenorlacke 
That may ensue, nor any such pretence ; 

Nor yet doth put his coyne to vsurie ; 

Nor the just cause purloyne, through bryberie. 



254 THE M1NDES MELOD1E. 

Who means, right so, these thinges to do, 
And steadfastlie doth keepe the perfite way ; 

As Syon Hill, he shall stand still, 

And neuer moue, nor perishe, or decay. 



PSALME XIX. 

The firmament, and heauens out-stent, so excellent, 

Thy handywork and glorious praise proclaim : 
Each day to day, succeeding ay in their array, 

And night to night, by course, doe preache the same. 
No sound of breath nor speach of men haue they, 
Yet eueriewhere they preache thy praise, I say. 
Their lyne goeth out the earth about : 

Their voice is heard throughout the world so wide. 
There he a throne set for the sunne, 

And paylion plight, his mansion to abide ; 

Who, like agroome of great renoume, rightbraue doth come 

From chamber straight, with comlie countenance ; 
Or, like a knight in pleasant plight, doth haste, with might 

To runne the race, his honor to aduance. 
His rysing and his race, it doth appeare 
Euen from the out-most space of heauens spheare. 
Then hes he taine his course againe, 

Through azurde sky, by reuolution right. 
Nothing can be hid from the eye 

And burning beames of that great lampe of light. 



THE MIX J)Es MKLODIE. 255 

God's word is cleare ; his law sinceere, and most enteere, 

The sinfull soule to him, for to conuert : 
His precepts pure, both fir me and sure, and can allure, 

And make right wise, the sober simple heart. 
Thy ways and statutes all are righteousnesse, 
Which glad the soules ill thrall, with joyfulnesse : 
They giue cleare light to our blinde sight. 

Thy feare is pure, and euer permament : 
Thou cannot rew : thy judgments trew 

And righteous are, O Lord Omnipotent. 

Much gold of price, refyned twyce, yea, more than thryce, 

Is not in worth with them for to be valu'de : 
The honie white, pure and perfite, mouing delite, 

Is not so sweete, nor so much to be craued. 
They make thy seruants wise and circumspect ; 
And, what to enterprise, they him direct. 
In keeping them, great is the gaine, 

And rich rewarde, for such lade vp, for euer. 
But who can count sinnes that surmount ? 

From secreet sins, good Lord, my soule deliuer. 

O Lord, vouchsaue, I humblie craue, me for to saue, 

And cleanse my hart from proud presumptuous sin : 
Then shall 1 bee from sinnes set free, that troubles mee. 

Preserue me, Lord, that I walke not therein ; 
And let them not preuaile, me to possesse : 
Then I will, without faile, loue righteousnesse. 
Accept my plaint, which I present 

Before thy sight, with humble hart and voice. 
My strength and stay thou art, for ay, 

And Sauiour sweete, in whom I do rejoyce. 



%56 THE MINDES MEL0D1E. 



PSALME XXIII. 

The Lord most hie, I know, will be an heyrde to me : 

I can not long haue stresse, nor stand in neede* 
He makes my leare in feelds so fare, that without care 

I doe repose, and at my pleasure feede. 
He sweetlie me conuoyes to pleasant springes, 
Where nothing me annoy es, but pleasure bringes. 
He giues my minde peace in such kinde, 

That feare of foes nor force can not me reaue. 
By him I'am lead in perfite tread ; 

And, for his name, he will me neuer leaue. 

Though I should stay, euen day by day, in deadlie way, 

Yet would I be assurde, and fear no ill ; 
For why ? thy grace, in euerie place, doth me imbrace ; 

Thy rod and shiphirds- crook comforts me still. 
In despy te of my foe, my table growes. 
Thou balmes my head with ioy : my cuppe ouerflowes: 
Kindnesse and grace, mercie and peace, 

Shall follow me, for all my wretched dayes ; 
Then endles joy shall me conuoy 

To heauen, where I with thee shall be alwaies, 

PSALME XLIII. 

OLord of grace, iudge thou my cace : from thy high place, 
My cause reuenge against my deadlie foes. 

From wicked traine of fraudfull men that thee misken, 
Saue me, O Lord, for I in thee rejoise. 



THE MINDES MKLODIE. 257 

Thou art my God and aide, my strength and stay ; 
Why go I then dismaide, in this array ? 
Why shouldst thou mee reject from thee, 

As pray to those that seeke my soule to spill ? 
Send out thy light, thy trueth, and right ; 

And guide my wayes vnto thy holie hill : 

Then will I to thine altar goe, not fearing foe, 

With harp in hand, to sing thy praise for euer. 
My God so deare, my joy and cheare, who doest me heare, 

With readie help do now my soule deliuer. 
My soule, why doest thou freate thus in my breast, 
With grudging griefe ouer-set, not taking rest ? 
In God most just ? set all thy trust ; 

And call on him, with all thy stresse and greefe. 
I will alwayes him laude -and praise : 

He is my God, my helpe, my w T hole releefe. 



psalme lvii. 

Have reuth on me,— haue reuth on me, O Lord, from hie, 

Haue mercy, Lord ; in thee my soule doth trust : 
Vntill at last, this stormie blast be ouer-past, 

In shadow of thy winges, my hope shall rest. 
On God most high, I call, my heart's delyte ; 
Who will his promise all to me perfite. 
From heauen's throne, he will send downe, 

And saue me from the sharp rebuke and shame 
Of cruell foes that me inclose : 

His mercie sure shall keepe me from al blame. 



258 THE MINDES MELODIE. 

I lie beset with lyons net ; and men are met, 

In fyrie rage my seelie soule to catch ; 
Whose teeth, I weene, like arrowes keene, are to be seene ; 

Their tongues like swordes, some mischeef for to hatch. 
Exalt thy selfe, therefore, the heauens aboue : 
On earth, shew forth thy glore, and power proue. 
A snare is made, and grins are laide, 

My steps to trap, my fate to fold withall. 
I am opprest : a ditche is drest 

For me, — but loe, my foes therein doe fall. 

My heart is bent and permanent, with full intent 

To praise the Lord, and to extoll his name. 
" My tongue," alway " awake," I say, by breake of day : 

" My harpe, in haste, and viole, doe the same." 
I will thee praise among the people all : 
As God and Lord most strong, thee praise I shall. 
Thy mercies great, and trueth perfite, 

Doe reache vnto the heauens and cloudie sky : 
Exalt, therefore, thy name and glore 

Aboue the clouds, and limites of the day. 



psalme xci. 

Who doth confyde, and so abyde, all tyme and tyde, 
In secreete and in shade of the Most High, — 

He may well say, " God is my stay and strength alway,— 
My faith, my hope, in whom my trust doth lie. 

He shall thee keepe and fence from hunter's snare,— 

From cruell pestilence, and all such feare ; 



THE MIN'DES UKLQUIE. 259 

And shall the hide, on euerie side, 

In shadow safe, and couert of his winges : 

His trueth, most sure ay to indure, 

Thy sheeld shal be, against all noysome things. 

Thou shalt not care for any feare, by night or eare ; 

Or, noone-day bright, for the swift fleing dart : 
No fearefull pest that may molest, by night shall rest 

On thee ; nor plague by day that falles athwart. 
Although a thousand men, before thine eye, — 
Yea, more than thousands ten, should fall hard by ; 
None ill at all shall thee befall ; 

No dangerous death, nor dread, shall come thee neare : 
But wicked anes, that God disdaines, 

He will rewarde ; as thou shalt see most clear. 

Be not affraide, sence thou hast said, " God is mine aide/* 

And the Most High hast set for thy refuge. 
No harme nor hurt within thy court shall doe thee start ; 

No skaith shall come within thy tent to ludge : 
For he, his angels bright, hath geuen command. 
To keep thee, day and night, on euerie hand ; 
And, by their arme, to saue from harme, 

And stay thy steps from stumbling at a stone. 
Thou shalt down- tread the dragon's head, — 

The lyons fearce, — the aspes, — their yong, each one ; 

Because the Lord, of his accord, hath said the word : — 

u I will him saue, and send deliuerance. 
He doth adore, and loue my glore ; I will therefore 

Him," saith the Lord, " to honor high aduance. 



260 THE MINDES MELODIE. 

When he shall on me call, in tyme of neede, 
I will, from dangers all, rid him with speede ; 
And him defend, and succour send, 

In troubles all ; and then him glorifie. 
I will alwayes prolong his dayes ; 

And he, doubtlesse, my sailing health shall see." 



PSALME ci. 

Now will I sing to thee, O King, aboue all thing, 

Of mercie mixt with judgement righteous. 
In perfite way, I will me stay ; awaiting ay 

Vntill thou come, my God most gratious. 
In mynde and heart vpright, I will begin 
To walke before thy sight, my house within. 
No wickednesse shall me possesse. 

The sinner's worke, I hate, with all disdaine. 
Nor ill at all shall with me dwell ; 

Mine heart, mine hand, from such I will refrain. 

Thou froward heart, that workes me smart, from me depart; 

Go take thy leaue ; for I no ill will know. [name, 
Such as defame, with slanderous blame, their neighbour's 

I will destroy, and them no mercie show. 
The proud presumptuous ghuest, with loftie looke, 
And hautie minde possest, I can not brooke. 
Myne heart, myne eye, shall euer be 

Vpon the just and faithfull of the land. 
They shall abyde all tyme and tyde 

Within thy Court, to serue at thy command : 



THE MINDES MELODIE. 261 

The man, I say, that doth not stray from the right way, 

I will aduance, in honour to excell. 
The guilefull man, that no good can, but lie and faine, 

Out of mine house, with speed, I will expell. 
I will cut out, by tyme, out of the land, 
All the rebellious trayne, and godlesse band. 
And I doe meane for to maintaine 

God's holie house, and sacred Cittie^ free ; 
That wicked men may not remaine 

Within his gates, for their iniquitie. 



psalme cxvu. 

O nations all, both great and small, w T ith Israeli, 

Vnto the Lorde, sing laude and lasting praise : 
Exalt his name, and glorious fame alwhere proclame ; 

For why ? — his grace and glore abides alwaies : 
He doth his tender loue to vs extend ; 
As well, each day, we proue : it hath no end. 
This mightie Lord, in worke and word, 

Is constant, sure ; his trueth cannot decay. 
Giue him, therefore, all laude and glore, 

Who doth on vs his loue and grace display. 



psalme cxxi. 

When I behold these montanes cold, can I be bold 
To take my journey through this wildernesse, — 

Wherein doth stand, on eyther hand, a bloudie band, 
To cut me off, with cruell craftinesse ? 



262 THE MINJ)ES MELODIE. 

Heere, subtle Sathan's slight doth me assail 1 : 
Ther, his proud worldly might thinks to preuaill. 
In euerie place, with pleasant face, 

The snares of sinne besets me round about ; 
With poysone sweete to slay the spirite, 

Conspyred all, to take my life, no doubt. 

But God is hee, will succour mee, and let me see 

His sauing health ay readie at command : 
Euen Iehova, that creat al, both great and smal, 

In heauen and aire, and in the sea and land. 
Freat not, my fearefull heart, my breast within ; 
This God will take thy part, thy course to rin. 
He will thee guyde ; thou shalt not slyde ; 

Thy feet shall steadfast stand in the right way : 
He will thee keepe ; he will not sleepe, 

Nor suffer foes to catch thee as a pray. 

The Lord doth keepe Israel his sheepe, and will not sleepe. 

Beneath his shadow, thou shalt saiflie ly. Charme 

Right sure and firme, with his right arme, saue the from 

He shall ; and all thy fearefull foes defy. 
The day, hote sunnes offence shall not thee greeue ; 
Nor cold moones influence, by night, the moue. 
God, of his grace, from his high place, 

Shall saue thee from all ill : in euerie way 
Thou goes about, both in and out, 

He shall thee blesse and prosper, now and ay. 



THE MIND£S MELODIE. 263 



FSALME CXXV. 

As Sion Hill, that's firme and still, and neuer will 

Nor can remoue, through danger of decayes, — 
So, that man shall, Lord, with thee dwell, fearing no fall, 

Who trustes in thee ; and shall indure for ay. 
Like mountaines round about Ierusalem, 
I eh ova, so, no doubt, shall couer him. 
The rod and yocke of God's owne flocke 

Shall not ay rest vpon the godlie race ; 
Lest they, through griefe, without releefe, 

The wandring waies of wicked men imbrace. 

O Lord, our God, remoue thy rod ! make not abode 

From such as feare thy name with perfite hart, 
And walke vpright, before thy sight, in thy trew light : 

Thy grace, their guyde, let not from them depart. 
But such as slide abacke in crooked waves, 
The Lord shall ouertake, with sudden frayes : 
Their lot and part shall be, in smart, 

With sinfull men, that perishe in thy rage. 
With Israeli, thy peace let dwell, 

O blessed Lord ! to last from age to age. 



PSALME CXXVIII. 

O blest is hee that feareth thee, O Lord, most hie, 
And doth obserue thy constant will and way ! 

O well to him that hath begun this course to run ! 
His labour shall him pleasant frute repay. 



2G4 THE MINDES MELODIE. 

To his great joyes enerease, in reuthfull neede, 
Ieiiova will him dresse, his life to feede. 
His wife shall bee like to the tree 

That growes full gay,, fast by his houses side : 
His children fair, like olyues rare, 

His table shall decore, both tyme and tyde. 

Such man's successe and happinesse shall still increase, 

As feares thee, O Lord most righteous : 
Thou will not misse right so to blesse both him and his, 

With riches rare, and pleasure plenteous. 
From Sion's holie Hill, thou shalt see then, 
To stand, and flourish still, Ierusalem. 
Thy race and seede shall budde and breed, 

Before thine eyes, in happie state and store. 
With Israeli and Iuda, shall 

Thy peace, O Lord, abyde for euer more. 

THE SONG OF SIMEON. 

S. Luke, 2. verse 25. 

Since that mine eye, before I die, O Lord doth see 

Thine holie one, — our hope and onelie stay, — 
Whom thou hast send, in latter end, for to extend 

Thy mercies great, that doe endure for ay ; — 
Then let thy seruant, Lord, depart in peace ; 
And me, of thine accord, send to my place ; 
As thou hast said, and promise made, 

That can not faile, nor fall in vaine away : 
For I rejoyce in heart and voyce, 

That I haue seene thy sailing health this day ; 



THE MINDES MELODIE. 265 

Whom thou, a light, hast set, full bright, before the sight 

Of Gentiles far, and people round about ; 
And sendst with grace, sinne to deface, and glorious peace 

For to proclame, the earth and world throughout ; 
And, as thy prophetes told, a signe to bee, 
For nations to behold with faithfull eye ; 
In speciall thine Israel 

To rid from thral, and saue them by his might ; 
That he, their glore, for euer more, 

On Sion Hill, may shine, in beautie bright. 



GLORIA PATRI. 

O King of Kings, in heauen that rings aboue all things, 

Thy people chosen of thine onelie grace, — 
To raigne with thee eternallie, them sanctifie, 

Into thy sweete and euerlasting peace. 
Laude to the Trinitie, on which we call ! — 
Our God, in persons three, surmounting all. 
Fountaine profound ! all praise redound 

To thee, O Father, with thy Son most sweete, 
That Prince of glore, did vs restore ; 

Likewise all praise be to the Holie Spirite. 

Gloria in excelsis Deo. Amen. 



DEVOTIONAL POEMS. 



The First, and Twenty-third Psalms, as given in the pre- 
ceding division, together with the poem entitled, c A Godly 
Prayer, or Lamentation,' occur in the Bannatyne MS* 
from which source they havefrequently been printed. The 
Drummond MS. also contains the First Psalm, along 
with the Second, which immediately follows. The fragment 
of the Thirty-sixth Psalm, and the poem named % His 
Mourning Muse,' have not been discovered in any MS. 
collection, but are subjoined to all the ordinary editions of 
c The Cherrie and the Slae.' The remaining poems are 
derived from the Drummond MS. to which, in common 
ivith so much of the entire collection, they seem to be in- 
debted for their preservation* 



DEA^OTIONAL POEMS. 



THE SECONDE PSALME. 

To the Tone of—" In throu the/' 3$c. 

I. 

Quhy doth the Heathin rage and rampe, 
And peple murmur all in vane ? 
The kings on earth ar bandit plane, 
And princes ar conjonit in campe, 
Aganst the Lord and Chryst ilk ane. 
Ci Come let our hands 
Brek all thair bands/' 
Say they, " and cast from vs thair yoks." 
Bot he sail evin 
That duells in hevin 
Laugh thame to scorne, lyk mocking stoks. 

II. 
[In] wraith then sail he speik thame till, 
And vex thame in his anger sore, 
And say, — " I set my King with glore 
On Sion Mount, my holy hill." 
I will declair his will thairfoir ; 
That is, that he 
Hes said to me, 



270 DEVOTIONAL POEMS. 

" Thou art my Sone beloved ay, 
Fjom vhome my Love 
Sail not remove ; 

I haif begotten thee this day. 

III. 

Ask thou of me, and thou sail haive 
The Heathin to enherit haill, 
And all the earth thou sail not faill 
For thy possessioun to resaive. 
Thy princely scepter sail prevaill ; 
For they sail feill 
It made of steill, 
To render thame thair just reuaird ; 
Quhairvith thou sail 
Evin bruis thame all 
In peces, lyk a potter's shaird." 

IV. 

Be wyse, thairfor, ze kingis, and heir. 
Ze judges of the earth, I say, 
Be leirn'd and instruct it ay. 
Rejoyce and serve the Lord in feir, 
And kisse the Sone and him obey ; 
Leist vhen his yre, 
Sail burne as fyre, 
Zea perish in the way and fall. 
And sik as trust 
In God most just 
Sail happy be and blissed all. 



DEVOTIONAL POEMS. 271 

PSALME XXX'VI. 

DECLINA A MALO, ET FAC B0NU3I. 

Leave sin, ere sin leave thee j do good, 

And both without delay : 
Less fit he will to morrow be, 

Who is not fit to day. 



THE FOET S DREME. 
I. 

God give me grace for to begin 
My spousing garment for to sphr, 
And to be one till enter in 

With the brydgrome in blisse ; 
And sleep na mair in sleuth and sin, 
Bot rather ryse and richtly rin 
That hevinly wed fie for to win 

Vhilk he prepairs for his. 

II. 

The way is strait, the nomber small 5 
Therfor we may not entrr all : 
Zit he hes said, that sik men sail 

Vhais faith brings furth gude frute. 
My [saull,] then, fash not for a fall ; 
Contineu knocking ; clim and call : 
Thair is no winning ouer the wall, 

Fra ains the dur be shute. 



272 DEVOTIONAL POEMS. 



III. 

Tak tym in tyme, or tym be tint, 
To stry ve with sin, and nevir stint ; 
And vhar thou may not, mak a mint, 

Sa that thy faith be fast. 
As raynie dropis do peiree the flint 
Throu falling oft, and not throu dint ; 
Of hope if thou hold fast the hint, 

Thou sail prevaill at last. 

I 
IV, 

Presume not, nor dispair to speid. 

To lyf that leddir sail the leid, 

Quhilk stude at godly Jacob's heid 

Quhen he to dream wes drevin ; 
Quhairby the angels come and zeid 
From hevin to earth, as thou may reid ; 
That is the only way indeid 

To help the vp to hevin. 

V. 

Assure thy self, it is the sam 
Vharby the godly fathers clam, 
Vha war the heires of Abraham, 

Beloved of the Lord. 
If thou beleive into that Lamb 
Vha said, " I am evin that I am," 
The De'ill dou nevir the condam ; 

Thy warand is the word. 



DEVOTIONAL POEMS. 278 

IV. 

When he wes rent vpon the rude, 
He boght belevers with his blude ; 
I mene the godly men and gude 

Quha keepit his commands, 
And by instinction vnderstude, 
Thair saulls resau'd his flesh for fude. 
Then clim by Chryst, for, I conclude, 

Thy help lyes in his hands. 

A GODLY PRAYER, [OR. LAMENTATION."] 

Peccavi Pater^ MISERERE ME I , 

T 
1. 

[Tve sinn'd, Father, be merciful to me;^ 

I am not worthy to be cald thy divide, 
Vho stubburnely haif look't so long astrav, 

Not lyk thy sone, bot lyk the prodigue wykL 

My sillie saull with sin is so defyld, 
That Satan seeks to catch it as his pray. 

God grant me grace that he may be begyl'd ; 
Peccavi Pater, miserere mei. 

II. 

I am abash'd how I dar be sa bald 

Befor thy godly presence to appeir, 
Or hazard anes the hevins to behald, 

Vha am vnworthy that the earth suld beir. 
Zit damne me noght, vhom thou hes boght so ilcir ; 
Sed salvum me fac, dulcis Fili Dei, 
For out of Luk this leson nou I leir, 
Peccavi Pater, miserere mei. 
s 



274 DEVOTIONAL POEMS. 



III. 

If thou, O Lord, with rigour woldst reyenge, 

Vhat flesh befor the faultles suld be fund ? 
Or vho is he vhois conscience can him clenge, 

Bot by his birth to Satan he is bund ? 

Zit, of thy grace, thou took auay that grund, 
And sent thy Sone our penalty to pay, 

To saiv us from that hiddious hellish hund. 
Peccavi Pater, miserere meu 

IV, 

I hope for mercy, thoght my sinnes be huge : 

I grant my gylt, and grones to thee for grace. 
Thoght I suld flie, vhair sail I find refuge ? 

In hevin, O Lord ? thair is thy duelling place. 

The erth, thy futstule ; zea in helis, alace 
Doun with the dead, bot all must the obey. 

Thairfor I cry, vhill I haif tyme and space, 
Peccavi Pater, miserere mei. 

V. 

O gratious God, my gyltines forgive, 

In sinners death since thou does not delyte, 
Bot rather that they suld convert and live, 

As witnessis thy sacred holy wryte. 

I pray the, then, thy promise to perfyte 
In me ; and I sail with the Psalmist say 

To pen thy prais, and wondrous works indyte: 
Peccavi Pater , miserere mei. 



DEVOTIONAL POEMS. 275 



VI. 

Suppose I slyde, let me not sleep in sleuth, 

In stinking sty with Satan's sinfull swyn ; 
Bot make my tongue the trompet of thy treuth, 

And lend my verse sik wings as ar divyne. 

Sen thou hes grantit me so good ingyn 
To loif the Lord in gallant style and gay, 

Let me no moir so trim a talent tyne ; 

Peccavi Pater, miserere meu 

VII. 
Thy Spirit, my spirit to speik, with speed, inspyre. 

Help, Holy Ghost ! and be Montgomery's Muse; 
Flie doun on me in forked tongues of fyre, 
As thou did, on thy oune Apostills, vse; 
And with thy fyre me fervently infuse 
To laud the Lord, and longer not delay. 
My former folish fictiouns I refuse ; 

Peccavi Pater, miserere mei. 

VIII. 

Stoup, stubborne stomock, that hes bene so stout ; 

Stoup, filthie flesh, and carioun of clay ; 
Stoup, hardint hairt, befor the Lord, and lout ; 

Stoup, stoup in tyme, defer not day by day. 

Thou knouis not weill vhen thou man pass away; 
The Tempter, als, is bissie to betrey. 

Confes thy sinnes, and shame not for to say, 
Peccavd Pater, miserere meu 



276 DEVOTIONAL POEMS. 



IX. 

To grit Jehovah let all glore be gevin, 

Vha shupe my saul to his similitude ; 
And to his Sone, vhom he sent doun from hevin, 

Vhen I wes lost, to buy me with his blude ; 

And to the Holy Ghost, my gyder gude, 
Vho must confirme my faith to tak no fray. 

In me cor mundu.m crea, — I conclude : 

Peccavi Pater, miserere meL 



HIS MORNING MUSE. 
[nox tardes converti ad deum,'] 

Let dread of pain, for sin in aftertime,— 
Let shame, to see thy self ensnared so, — 

Let grief conceiv'd for foul accursed crime,— 
Let hate of sin, the worker of thy wo,— 

With dread, with shame, with grief, with hate, enforce, 

To dew thy cheeks with tears, — to deep remorse. 

So, hate of sin shall make God's love to grow ; 

So, grief shall harbour hope within thine heart ; 
So, dread shall caus the flood of joy to flow ; 

So, shame shall send sweet solace to thy smart : 
So, love, — so hope,— so joy, — so solace sweet,— 
Shall make my soul in heav'nly bliss to fleet. 



DEVOTIONAL POEMS. 277 

Wo, where no hate cloth no such love allure ! 

Wo, where such grief makes no such hope proceed ! 
Wo, where such dread doth not such joy procure ! 

Wo, where such shame doth not such solace breed ! 
Wo, where no hate, no grief, no dread, no shame, — 
No love, no hope, no joy, no solace, frame ! 



A WALKNING FROM SIN. 
I. 

Think on the end, and thou sail seindle sin. 

Since vnadwysment wraks or thou be war. 
To call for grace betyms at God begin, 

Befor thou folou on the flesh too far. 

Throu vnadvertance, oh ! hou mony ar 
Involvit so, vhill out they can not win ? 

Wald thou be clene ? touch nather pick nor tar ; 
Think on the end, and thou sail seindle sin. 

II. 

As trees hes leafis, then florishis, syn fruit ; 

So thou hes thoghts, syn words, and actions last. 
Thus, grie by grie, sin taks in the sik rute, 

Infecting saull and body baith, so fast, 

To stay Repentance till the tyme be past. 
Then turne in tym, and not so rekles rin, 

Or thou thy self in condemnation cast. 
Think on the end, and thou sail seindle sin, 
9 



278 . , DEVOTIONAL POEMS. 



III. 

Or thou be sommound by vncerten Death, 

Count with thy Conscience ; knau if it be clene. 
Defer not to the latter blast of breath, 

Sen lait repentance seindle sure is sene. 

Then thrau the wand in tyme vhill it is grene ; 
Sen tym is precious tak it or ze tuin. 

Sen thou began, look bak vhat thou hes bene ; 
Think on the end, and thou sail seindle sin. 

IV. 
Sen Death is debt, prepair thee for to pay ; 

Thou knauis not vhen thy Creditour will crave. 
Remember Death, and on that dreidfull day 

Quhen as thy saull hir sentence sail resave, 

Of endles pain or endles joy to haive. 
The goatis ar many, thoght the lambis be thin : 

Seek thy salvation ; be not Satan's slaive ; 
Think on the end, and thou sail seindle sin. 

V. 
Seik, knok, and ask in Faith, with Hope and Love, 

And thou sail find, and enter, and obtene. 
Obey his blissed bidding from above ; 

So thou sail purchess proffeit to betuene. 

Inclyne thyn eiris, and open wp thy ene 
To heir and sie ; and comfort all thy kin. 

Do good ; repent ; in tym to come abstene : 
Think on the end, and thou sail seindle sin. 



DEVOTIONAL POEMS. 279 



VI. 

Thoght Natur force thee to commit offence, 

Zit it is divelish daylie to delyte 
Or perseveir in, onder this pretence, 

That Chryst sail be compel'd to mak the quyte : 

As some will say, — f< Sen flesh is imperfyte, 
God mon forgive, or think his court bot thin." 

These words ar vain, — but warrand of the wry t : 
Think on the end, and thou sail seindle sin. 



A LESONE HOU TO LEIRNE TO DIE. 
I. 

Be war, be war, leist it be war ; 

The dreidfull day drauis to the duris. 
Exame your selfis ; sie vhat ze ar, 

And spy hdu death comis at the spurris ; 
Whais sharpe seveirest summond sayis, 
Without contineuing of dayis. 

II. 

He keepis no dyet, day, nor table ; 

Bot vhen he calis thou mon compeir ; 
Euen vhen thou art vnmetest, able. 

Then fruitles faith is fraught with feir ; 
That message so thy mynd dismayis, 
Without contineuing of dayis. 



280 DEVOTIONAL POEMS. 

III. 

Quhen all thy sensis the forsaikis, 

And thou persaivis no dome bot dead, 
Then Courage lyk a Couart quaikis ; 
Vane hope dar not hold vp his head ; 
Thy sinfull saull astonisht stayis, 
Bot no contineuing of dayis. 

IV. 

Fra conscience brings furth his books, 

Into thy stomok is a stryfe. 
It is no laughter, vhen thou looks 
Vpon the legend of thy lyfe ; 
Vhar in ar writtin all thy wayis, 
Without contineuing of dayis. 

V. 

That Register may mak thee rad, 

Reveiling both thy good and evill. 
Thy saull sail sie, to mak hir sad, 
Hir vgly enemie the Divill ; 

Quhilk all that lybel to hir layis, 
Without contineuing of dayis. 

VI. 

Fra sho haif gazed in that glasse, 

Sho hes a gesse vhair sho suld gang. 
Be sho provydit, or sho passe, 

It's weill : if not, — all will be wrang. 
To lait for pardon then sho prayis, 
Quhen no contineuing of dayis. 



DEVOTIONAL POEMS. 281 

VII. 

A bitter battell sail sho byde 

Betuixt quick hope and dead dispair, 
Quhen sho sail trimble to be tryde, 
Remembring on Long Euermair ; 
Quhair peirles pain or plesur ay is 
Without contineuing of dayis. 

VIII. 

Thoght, word, and deid, all sail be weyde, 

Befor thy lingring lyf disluge. 
Vhat ferly, freind, thoght thou be fleyd 
To go befor so grit a Judge ; 

Vhais feirfull face the wicked frayis, 
Without contineuing of dayis. 

IX. 

Thy beutie, riches, wit, and strenth, 

Quhilk God thee, to his glory, gaive, 
Sail caus the cry, Alace ! at lenth, 

Quhen he thy checker compt sail craive ; 
Vho will allou the no delayis, 
Nor yit contineuing of dayis. 

X. 

Thair thou, that in this warld wes wont 

To griev thy God without regaird, 

Sail be compeld to give account, 

And as thou thoght resave rewaird 

Of him vho presently repayis, 

Without contineuing of dayis. 



282 DEVOTIONAL POEMS. 

XL 

Then prayers, almesdeids, and tearis, 

Vhilks yit to skorne yee skantly skar, 
Sail mair availl then jaks and spearis, 
For to debait thee at that bar 

Quhair nane rebelis, bot all obeyis, 
Without contineuing of dayis. 

XII. 

Quhen Justice halds the ballance evin, 

Sho mettis no inshis with the ell. 
The hevy saulis ar had to hevin ; 
The light, alace, ar hoyde to hell, 
Quhair Belzebub in burning brayis 
In vtter darknes, vhair no day is. 

XIII. 

Quhat wald thou give, if God wold grant 

Thee longer licience for to leive ? 
Wald thou not sueir to be a sant, 

And all thy goods for God's saik give ; 
Zea, and instruct all sik as strayis, 
Without contineuing of dayis ? 

XIV. 

Quhy art thou miserable, O Man ? 

Quhy pretermits thou tyme and place ? 
Quhy art thou ydler nou nor than ? 
Quhy speids thou not vhill thou hes space ? 
Quhy tyins thou tyme, that the betrayis ? 
Quhy dreeds thou not these duilfull dayis ? 



DEVOTIONAL POEMS. 283 

XV. 
Zit, hear vhill Chryst knokis at thy hairt, 

And open it to let him in : 
Or thou sail abill efteruard 

Crave entrie vhair thou sail not win ; 
As the fyve folish Virgins playis. 
Then with the wyse redeme thy dayis. 

CAWAY ! VANE WORLD.]] 

To the Toon of—" Sail I let hir go," %c. 

I. 
Auay ! vane world, bewitcher of my hairt. 
My sorouis shauis, my sins maks me to smart ; 
Zit will I not dispair, 
Bot to my God repair : 
He has mercy ay, 
Thairfor will I pray : 
He hes mercy ay, and lovis me, 
Thoght by his humbling hand he provis me. 

II. 

Auay, auay ! too long thou hes me snaird ; 
I will not tyne more tyme : I am prepaird 
Thy subtill slychts to flie, 
Vhilks hes allured me. 
Tho they sueitly smyle, 
Smoothly they begyle : 
Tho they sueitly smyle, I feir thame. 
I find thame fals ; 1 will forbeir thame. 



284 DEVOTIONAL POEMS. 

III. 

Once more, auay ! — shauis loth the world to le[ave :] 
Bids oft adeu, with it that holds me slave. 
Loth am I to forgo 
This sueet alluring fo : 
Sen thy wayis ar vane, 
Sail I the retane ? 
Sen thy wayis ar vane, I quyt thee ; 
Thy plesuris sail no more delyt me. 

IV. 

A thousand tymis auay ! — Oh ! stay no more. 
Sueit Chryst, conduct ; leist subtile sin devore. 
Without thy helping hand, 
No man hes strenth to stand. 
Tho I oft intend 
All my wayis to mend,— 
Tho I oft intend, strength fails ay : 
The sair assaults of sin prevailis ay. 

V. 
Quhat sal I say ? — ar all my plesurs past ? 
Sail worldly lustis nou tak thair leiv, at last ? 
Zea, Chryst, these earthly toyes 
Sail turne in hevinly joyes. 
Let the world be gone ; 
I'l love Chryst allone. 
Let the world be gone ; — I cair not : 
Chryst is my love alone ;— « -I feir not. 



DEVOTIONAL POEMS 

I 



28*. 



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To mi Love xlien that I sing* 

It 11 


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Mak zomr ears & 


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Vhicn is sore to Indnre vhen as all things sail decav 



S85 DEVOTIONAL POEMS. 

II. 

O my Lord and Love most loyal, 
Vhat a prais does thou deserve ! 
Thoght thou be a Prince most Royal, 
With thy Angels thee to serve, 

Zit a pure 

Creature 
Thou hes lovit al thy lyfe ; 

Thou didst chuis 

The refuis 
Of the world, to be thy wyfe. 

III. 

WhilH did fcehold the favor 

Of his countenance so fair, — 
Whill I smellit the sueet savor 
Of his garments rich and rair,— 
" OhT' I said, 
"If I had 
' To my Love, zon Prince of Glore ! 
For my chose, 
Wold I lose 
Other loves, I lov'd befor." 

IV. 

Vhill I did these words, besyd me, 

With a secreit sigh, confes, 
Lo, my Lord and Love espyd me, 
And dreu neir me, vhair I wes ; 
Then a ring 
Did he thring 



DEVOTIONAL POEMS. 287 

On my finger, that wes fyne : — 

" Tak," quod he, 

« This to the, 
For a pledge that I am thyne. 

V. 

Nou thou hes that thou desyrit, — 
Me to be thy Lord and Love, — 
All the thing that thou requyrit, 
To the heir, I do approve : 

Zit agane, 

For my pane, 
Only this, I crave of thee ; 

For my pairt, 

Keep thy hairt, 
As a virgin, chast to me. 



FINIS 



NOTES. 



THE CHERRIE AND THE SLAE. 



In pointing out the most important variations which are 
found in the earlier copies of this poem, the refer- 
ence, Ed. 1597. is to the first impression by Robe?*t 
Walde-graue in that year; and Ed. 1615. to that by 
Andro Hart, as republished in the Ever-green. Such 
words as occur in the text of the present volume, are 
here distinguished by being printed in the Italic cha- 
racter. A copy of the first impression was communi- 
cated to the publishers by Archibald Constable, Esq. 
Walde-graue's second edition is preserved in the Ad- 
vocates' Library. 

Stanza i. line 4. The maueis may ; 1. 8, to heir thir ; 

L 9, thairnoyce are; 1. 13, so nimlie and trimlie, 

Ed. 1597. 
ii. 1. % fed amang; 1. 3, that happing; 1. 6, with 

uther; 1. 9, war sldppand ; 1. 13, Some tripping, 

some skipping. Ed. 1597. 
in. 1. 3, baith purefeit ; 1. 8, was spred; 1. 9, syne hang, 

— ane kewch ; 1. 12, the balmie. Ed. 1597. 
iv. 1. 6, and Eccho ; 1. 7, that staimit ; 1. 8, quhair- 

throw the ; 1. 9, that sleive himsell ; 1. 10, sair 

weiping. Ed. 1597. 
v. 1. 2, tuistis zing; 1. 6, ane swarme of; 1. 9, sum 

cunninglie; 1. 11, for kieping; 1. 12, hyvis they 

hydit; 1. 13, they provydit. Ed. 1597. 



292 notes. 

These stanzas were so materially changed by the au- 
thor, as they appear in Ed. 1615, that it seems neces- 
sary to print them here entire, to enable the reader to 
form the comparison of them in their original and alter- 
ed states. 

I. 
About an Bank with balmy Bewis, 
Quhair Nychtingales thair notis renewis, 

With gallant Goldspinks gay ^ 
The Mavis, Merle, and Progne proud y 
The Lintquhyt, Lark, and Lavrock loud* 

Salutit mirthful May. 
Quhen Philomel had sweitly sang, 

To Progne scho deplor'd, 
How Tereus cut out hir tung, 
And falsly hir deflourM ; 
Quhilk story so sorie 
To schaw hir self scho seimt, 
To heir hir so neir hir, 
I doutit if I dreimt. 

II. 

The Cushat crouds, the Corbie crys, 
The Coukow couks, the prattling Pyes, 

To geek hir they begin : 
The jargoun of the jangling Jayes, 
The craiking Craws, and keckling Kays, 

They deavt me with thair din. 
The painted Pawn with Argos eyis, 

Can on his Mayock call ; 
The Turtle wails on witherit tries, 
And Echo answers all, 
Repeting with greiting, 
How fair Narcissus fell, 
By lying and spying 
His schadow in the well. 



NOTES. 293 



III. 

I saw the Hurcheon and the Hare 
In hidlings hirpling heir and thair, 
To mak thair morning mange. 
The Con, the Cuning, and the Cat, 
Quhais dainty downs with dew were wat, 

"With stiff 3Iustachis strange. 
The Hart, the Hynd, the Dae, the Rae, 

The Fulmart and false Fox ; 
The beardit Buck clam up the brae, 
With birssy Bairs and Brocks ; 
Sum feiding, sum dreiding 
The Hunters subtile snairs, 
"With skipping and tripping, 
They playit them all in pairs. 

IV. 

The air was sobir, saft, and sweit, 
Nae misty vapours, wind nor weit, 

But quyit, calm and clear, 
To foster Flora's flagrant flowris, 
QuhairOn Apollo's paramouris, 
Had trinklit mony a tear ; 
The quhilk lyke silver schaikers shynd, 

Embroidering bewtis bed, 
Quhairwith thair heavy heids declynd, 
In Mayis collouris cled, 
Sum knoping sum droping 
Of balmy liquour sweit, 
Excelling and smelling, 
Throw Phebus hailsum heit. 

V. 

Methocht an heavenlie heartsum thing, 
Quhair dew lyke diamonds did hing, 



294 NOTES. 

Owre twinkling all the treis, 
To study on the flurist twists, 
Admiring Nature's alchymists, 

Laborious bussie Bies, 
Quhairof sum sweitest honie socht, 
To stay thair lyves frae sterve, 
And sum the waxie veschells wrocht, 
Thair purchase to preserve ; 
So heiping, for keiping 
It in thair hyves they hyde, 
Precisely and wysely, 
For winter they provyde. 

vi. 1. 2, how cuery bloome on; 1. 4, thir poet is ; I. 5, or- 
nat style ; 1. 9, ane craig and, Ed. 1597. — 1. 4, 1 pass 
to ; 1. 5, in hich heroick staitlie style ; I. 6, quhais 
muse surmatchis myne ; 1, 7, but as i lukit ; 1. 9, 
a steipie rock, Ed. 1615. 

1. % I thocht ; 1. 6, the diapason ; 1. 7, C-sol-fa-ut ; 1. 
8, quhairby ; 1. 9, thay soundt ane ; 1. 13, nor 
muissesy Ed. 1597. 

vn. For the reason already assigned, this stanza is also 
given entire, from Ed. 1615, as it will be found that 
but few lines in it remain unaltered. 

Throw rowting of the river rang. 
The Roches sounding like a sang, 

Quhair Das Kane did abound 
With triple, tenor, counter, mein, 
And Ecchoe blew a base betweine, 

In diapason sound, 
Set with the c-sol-fa-uth cleif, 

With lang and large at list, 
With quaver, crotchet, semibreif, 

And not a minum mist ; 
Compleitly mail" sweitly 



NOTES. 295 

Scho fridound flat and schairp, 
Nor Muses that uses 
To pin Apollo's harp. 

viii. 1. 2, quhiUc bidis, & dele ay ; 1. 4, quha flewe ; 1. 5, 

walknit throw the ; 1. 8, syne lichtit in ; 1. 15, so 

moylike, an d coylike, Ed. 1697 ; 1. 3, with leys of 

luvesum larks ; 1. 4, quhilk clim sae high in chry - 

stal skys ; 1. 8, on the ; 1. 9, Lord of Loue ; 1. 13, 

syne may lie, ed. 1615. 

This stanza is quoted by King James, in his Revlis 

and Cavtelis of Scottis Poesie, as one of the kinds e of 

cuttit and broken verse,' to be used e in loue maters, — 

quhairof new formes are day lie inuentit according to the 

poetis pleasour/ 

ix. 1. 5, twa proper; 1. 7, of all, Ed. 1597 ; 1. 1, ouir— 
always owre ; 1. 7, sone affhis geir ; 1. 8. upon the 
grassie grund ; 1. 9, als lichtly ; 1. 13, persaifing, 
Ed. 1615. 
x. This stanza does not occur in either of the impres- 
sions by Walde-graue, in 1597. The variations in the 
subsequent stanzas between Walde-graue's first impres- 
sion, and the second one as adopted in the text of the 
present volume, are so numerous, but at the same time 
so unimportant, (many of them consisting merely of 
slight differences of orthography, or typographical er- 
rors,) that it was thought unnecessary to specify the 
whole of them. 

xi. 1. 2, thir wanton wings ; 1. 3, 'to sport thy spreit ; 
1. 5, how, quaver, schafts and schuting geir ; 1. 10, 
rendering all. Ed. 1615. 
xii. 1. 1. up with ; 1. 2, r. schuting geir resigns; 1. 7. 
that double dairt ; 1. 12, quhyle either end I handilL 
Ed. 1615. 



296 NOTES. 

xin. 1. 2, of my bow ; 1. 9, sa langt I in lufis ; 1. 10, 

not marking quhat ; 1. 13. desyring, aspyring. Ed. 

1615. 
xv. 1. 5. schute my sell. Ed. 1615. 1. 14, r. Ze half. 
xvi. 1. 3. sae stakkering was my stait ; 1. 4, that undir. 

Ed. 1615. 
xvn. 1. 2, my dazelit eyis ; 1. 6, quhilk trublit ; 1. 7, Ma£. 

Ed. 1615- 
xviii. L 1, thanfrae. Ed. 1615. 1. 14, wadill, err. for 

widill. 
xix. 1. 1, r. Curage and Desyre ; 1. 6, Z^ Zwve Ai* bellies. 

Ed. 1615. 
xx. 1. 2, Anatomy than man ; 1. 14, to leap to. Ed. 1615. 
xxi. 1. 1, behuffit, err. for behuissit; — 1. 1, it was abuissit; 

1. 2, ray cairfull corps keipt it incluist ; 1. 7. scAo 

stryve by strength ; 1. 10, but haistning to. Ed. 1615. 
xxi ii. 1. 4, Me River sic ; 1, 5, as fo ; 1. 6, fo'cA, stay, 

and s choir ; 1. 8, thair partly to ; 1. 12, on the bi*aes. 

Ed. 1615. 
xxiv. 1. 6, twist is and tewch ; 1. 8, declyning ; 1. 13, 

quhilk; 1. 14, throw lichtness. Ed. 1615. 
xxv. 1. 5, $a fo/Z o/7 L 11. that trie thair, to me thair. 

Ed. 1615. 
xxvi. 1. % Ian g y sound and small ; L 9, toclimsa ; 1. 10, 

to fetch a fall Ed. 1615. 
xxvii. 1. 6, MaZ stays for. Ed. 1597. 1. 6, that has to 

do ; 1. 7, suith men. Ed. 1615. 
xxi x. 1. 5, Me sjoezc?. .E7Z. 1597. 
xxx. 1. 3, sen first the; i. 12, oreseitis the. Ed. 1597. 

1. 4, besyds that, seindle tymis thou ; 1. 7, 2Z/*M Aw 

guns ; 1. 9, Ma£ nunnes. Ed. 1615. 
xxxi. 1. 2, Mw sentence of. Ed. 1597. 1. 2, this figure 

in; 1. 11, gwAa Z>oZ flfy 1. 12, quhilk. Ed. 1615. 
xxxn. L 2, ore rych, ore nyce. Ed. 1597. L 11, of 



xotes. 297 

youth. Ed. 1615. The last four lines of the first 
edition, 1597, read thus: — 

Thy thrist nozc, I traist nozc gifthat thou zi-a!d it preife ; 
I say to, it may to thy paints all relcife. 

xxxiii. 1. 7. now all the practick is to passe. Ed. 1697. 

1. 10. my ways. Ed. 1615. 
xxxvii. 1. 2, the end is plesand. Ed. 1597 and 1615. 

1. 8. r. Hope. 
xxxviii. 1. 10, have we releivt? Ed. 1615. 
xxxix. 1. 10, with any man* Ed. 1615. 
xl. 1 1. with sleikit sonats. Ed. 1597. 1. 8, till that 

scho stings. Ed. 1615. 
xli. 1. 6. and thou ; 1. 8, is laid. Ed. 1615. 
xlii. 1. 5, has ene behald. Ed. 1615. 
xliv. 1. 10, 07* ~e win ; 1. 14, were better. Ed. 1615. 
xlvi. 1. 9, gif auyfische ze gat ; L 12, half nae. Ed. 

1615. 
xlvii. 1. 11, r. trowit. 

xlviii. 1. 10, hald his himdum. Ed. 1615. 
l. 1. 5, tal: hettir tent unto -our tale. Ed. 1615. 
liii. 1. 7, for thair is nane or few I trow ; 1. 12, thow 

borrowit fra the Clarkis ; 1. 14, I trowe dois beir the 

markis. Ed. 1597. 1. 2, myne alane ; 1. 11. for 

now — now, than, — then. Ed. 1615. 
liv. 1. 11, comidder now. Ed. 1597. 1. 3, will set him ; 

1. 12. I watenot. Ed. 1615. 
£v. 1. 4, to be the grund of all his grief; 1. 5, as I ; 1. 7, 

thair are. Ed. 1615. 
lvi. 1. 9, thou knaws thy self. Ed. 1615. 
lviii. to lxvi. inclusive. These stanzas are not printed 

in either of Walde-graue's editions, 1597. 
lxvii. 1. 3, quhat is- thy will advyse f 1. 8, quhais mo~ 

tions muvit me maist ; 1, 10, re id- wood for haist ; 



298 NOTES. 

1. 11, and flinging; 1. 12, for madness hjke to mang. 

Ed. 1615. 
lxviii. 1. 2, r. remember <ze ressauit ; 1. 10, he thocht 

not to be. Ed. 1597. 
lxix. 1. 6, and in ane widdy waifs. Ed. 1615. 
lxx. 1. 7, the passions ofthypensiue spreit ; 1. 8, thy fa- 
tall breath; 1. 11, denuncis. Ed. 1597. 1. 6, or 

help thy hearts desyre. Ed. 1615. 
lxxi. 1. 1. could thou cum anes acquaint ; 1. 5, and re- 

cipies. Ed. 1615. 
lxxiii. 1. 5, in deip dispair ; 1. 10, wer trew. Ed. 1615, 
lxxiv. 1. 4f.fra we conveind thay were safain. Ed. 1597. 

1. 2, r. neir wald zeild ; 1. 5, ze gart us cum againe ; 

1. 6, they greind to get zejuge ; 1. 9, in aw nae moir. 

Ed. 1615. 
lxxv. 1. 4, but on the ; 1. 12, maun spill. Ed. 1615. 
lxxvi. 1. 7, we perusd ; 1. 12, 2" may term it ; 1. 14, 

dois affirm it. Ed. 1615. 
lxxvii. 1. 5, they wald not ; 1. 6, to foster deidly feid. 

Ed. 1615. 
With this line, the sixth of stanza lxxvii., hoth im- 
pressions by Walde-graue, in 1597, terminate abruptly. 
The remainder of the poem is printed from the Ever- 
green. From its coincidence with the other previous 
editions, in the seventeenth century, there is reason to 
believe that it represents the text of Hart's edition with 
more fidelity than Ramsay exhibited in publishing other 
remains of our early vernacular poetry. 

The measure of the Cherrie and the Slae met with 
frequent imitators. The earliest of these, perhaps, was 
John Burel, a burgess of Edinburgh, in his * Passage 
of a Pilgrimer/ written and printed before the end of the 
16th century. The fine poem by Allan Ramsay, the 
Vision, printed in the Ever-green, is likewise an evident 



NOTES. 299 

imitation. Montgomery, however, is said to have taken it 
from the song, ' The Bankis of Helicon/ Thus Ritson, 
in his unpublished volume, containing Selections from 
the early Scotish Poets, says in a note, ' Captain Mont- 
gomery was not, as is generally supposed, the inventor 
of this sort of stanza. He only imitated a more ancient 
piece, entitled The Bankis of Helicon, which is still 
extant ; and the tune, to which both poems appear to 
have been originally sung, is still known in Wales by 
the name of Glyn Helicon/ (See the passage quoted in 
Cromek's select Scotish Poems, vol. ii. p. 25.) After 
all, it is possible that Montgomery himself was the au- 
thor of this anonymous song, which is printed in p. 
308, accompanied with the music, along with some ad- 
ditional notices respecting it. 



SONNETS. 

Page 63, c Supreme essence' Several minute variations 
occur in the different printed and MS. copies of this 
sonnet ; 1. 1 3, strengthen from above, (Drummond 
MS.) 1. 14, read my fayth, by the laue. 

64, c High Architecture 1. 3, should read jirme-jixit 
polis ; 1. 7, to the Tropiks. 

65, ' As curious Dido.' Of David Drummond, to whom 
this sonnet is addressed, no other intimation has 
been discovered, and his poems are equally un- 
known. 

66, c Sound, Gallovay' Patrick Galloway, one of the 
ministers of the king's household, probably at the 
time when this sonnet was written. He had pre- 
viously been settled as minister of Perth. When in- 
vited to one of the churches of Edinburgh, in 1587, 



300 NOTES. 

he refused, but accepted his appointment as minis- 
ter of the king's house, in June 1589. In June 
1607, he was removed to Edinburgh, and lived to 
an advanced age. His c Apology' for himself when 
forced to fly to England, in 1584, with some other 
works by him, still exist in MS. 

67, € Of Mars, Minerva.' Sir John Maitland of Thir- 
lestane, second son of Sir Richard Maitland of Leth- 
ington. Some of his poems have been printed by 
Pinkerton, from Sir Richard's collections of Scot- 
ish poetry. He was appointed Vice-Chancellor 
June, 1586, and not long after, Lord High Chan- 
cellor of Scotland. This appointment was ratified 
by Parliament, 29th July, 1587. (Acta Pari. Scot, 
vol. iii. p. 489.) He was raised to the peerage 
by the title of Lord Maitland of Thirlestane, 18th 
May, 1590, and died 3d Oct. 1595. 

68, < Bellonds sone' c The King's Vrania/ translated 
from the French of Du Bartas, forms part of ' The 
Essayes of a Prentise, in the Divine Art of Poesie, 
Q>y King James.^j Imprinted at Edinburgh, by 
Thomas Vautroullier, 1584.' 4to. Josuah Sylves- 
ter, the translator of Du Bartas' works, in c The 
Furies' introduces some complimentary lines to 
James, — 

w But, yer we farther pass, our slender "bark, 
u Must heer strike top-sails to a princely ark 
" Which keeps these straights," &c. 

and with much courtesy says in the marginal note, 
' ' The translator heer humbly vaileth-bonnet to the 
Kings Maiesty, who many yeers since (for his 
princely exercise) translated these Fvries, the Vra- 
nia, and some other peeces of Du Bartas." 



NOTES. ' 301 

68, < Of Titans harp. 3 Few poets enjoyed more repu- 
tation during their life than William de Saluste du 
Bartas, which may account for the expression in 
1. 11, quha hazard at so high a mark, — and hit in 
English. He was ambassador in Scotland from the 
court of France; and died in the year 1590. 

69, c Can goldin Titan. 9 This sonnet was prefixed to 
King James's Poetical Essays, in 1584. 

71, ' If I must begge' James Beaton was consecra- 
ted Archbishop of Glasgow in 1552, and held the 
see till 1560, when he went to France. King 
James, in 1588, restored him to the same dignity, 
and he enjoyed it till his death, which occurred in 
the year 1603. (Keith's Catalogue, 154-155.) 

71, Adeu, my King* 1. 2, ' Suete Duke, vhose father 
held me deir.' Ludovick, Duke of Lennox, eldest 
son of Esme, Duke of Lennox, Lord High Chan- 
cellor of Scotland, who died at Paris, 26th May, 
1583. Ludovick was afterwards created Earl of 
Newcastle, and Duke of Richmond. He died 11th 
Feb. 1623. (Crawfurd's Peerage, p. 262.) 

— , 1. 9, c his grace, and with zour vmquhyle maister to 
and myne. 3 King James, and the Regent Morton. 
Of his companions, mentioned in this sonnet. Sir 
James Melville of Halhill speaks of a Mr Henry 
Keir as one of the chief counsellors to the Duke of 
Lennox. (Memoirs, p. 128, edit. 1683, folio.) See 
* also an old paper which Dr M'Crie refers to in his 
Life of Melville, vol. i. p. 473. 

73, ' How lang will zeJ L 5, might read, zour offices 
and airts. 

74, ' If gentle blude. 3 In this and the two subsequent 
sonnets, the poet introduces the names of his own 



302 NOTES. 

and his adversaries' lawyers, who enjoyed consider- 
able celebrity in their time. Craig is well known 
as the writer on feudal law, on homage, the right 
of succession, and of other works. Preston was 
made one of the Lords of Session, March 12, 1594. 
He w r as raised to the Presidency of the court, June, 
6, 1609, and died in 1616. (Lord Hailes's Cata- 
logue of the Lords of Session.) 
75, c My best belovit. 3 Robert Hudson, to whom this 
and the four following sonnets are addressed, w r as 
one of the musicians of the Chapel Royal. In the 
establishment of the King's Household, in March 
1567, we find as c Violaris/ 

Mekill Thomas Hudsone. 

Robert Hudsone. 

James Hudsone. 

William Hudsone. And 

William Fullartoun, their servand. 
(Chalmers's Q. Mary, vol. i. p. 176.) This situa- 
tion they continued to hold for several years, as 
appears from the original documents preserved in 
the Register-house. In the c Estait of the ^King's]] 
hous, in the year 1584/ e Thomas, Robert, William, 
and James Hudsones Violers appointed to serue the 
haill zeir, [jpaid] be the comptroller ij c x u . — And 
for thair levery elaithisbe the thesaurair, ij cl1 .' Their 
names also occur in a similar list, for the year 1590. 
The only verses by Robert Hudson, which seem to 
have been preserved, are a sonnet prefixed to King 
James's poems, 1584 ; another to the Triumphes 
of Petrarke, by William Fowler, (MS. Univ. Lib. 
A.C. d. 13 ;) and an epitaph on Sir Richard Mait* 
land, included in the Maitland MS. and printed by 



NOTES. 303 

Pinkerton. It may be observed, tbat Thomas Hud- 
sone was appointed e maister of his hienes chappell 
royally 5 th Junij, 1586/ (Register of Presentations, 
vol. ii.) — This appointment was ratified in the Par- 
liaments 1587 and 1592. (Acta Pari. Scot. vol. iii. 
p. 489 and 563.) He was the writer of similar son- 
nets with Robert Hudson, but is most generally 
known as the translator of the History of Judith, 
from the French of Du Bartas, which he under- 
took at the special request of King James. This 
version, first c imprinted at Edinbvrgh, be Thomas 
Vautroullier, 1584/ 8vo., is found to accompany 
Sylvester's translation of the Weeks and Days, and 
the other works of the same French poet. 
65, c My best helbuit.' 1. 12 and 14, Scot, Semple, and 
Lyndesay, are three poets who flourished before the 
close of the sixteenth century. Several poems, of 
considerable elegance, by Alexander Scot, whom 
Pinkerton calls the ' Anacreon of Scotish Poetry,' 
are preserved in Bannatyne's IMS., and some of 
which are printed in Lord Hailes's collection. In 
the sameMS. are three poems by the Robert Semple, 
so often celebrated by Montgomery, whom some 
writers most erroneously have attempted to identify 
with Robert, Lord Semple. Other poems, by this 
Robert Semple, printed in his own time, are known 
to antiquaries. 

78, c Oft have I heard/ This sonnet appears to have 
been written by Montgomery to Hudson, in Chris- 
tian Lyndesay's name, of whom nothing is known 
beyond the simple notice which occurs in these 
poems. 

79, c I love the UUie! This Duchess of Lennox was 
Sophia Ruthven, third daughter of William, first 



304 NOTES. 

Earl of Gowrie, and married to Ludovick, second 
Duke of Lennox, who is alluded to in a former 
sonnet. 

83, c So swete a his/. 1. 4, read my spreit. 

87, c Sweet Philoniene' To M. D. — Margaret Douglas, 
eldest daughter of Sir William Douglas of Drum- 
lanrig, married ti Robert Montgomery of Skelmor- 
ley, who was created a baronet 18th January, 1626. 

87, i Though peirles give price. 3 1. 12, r. cristall gl as. 

88, c O happy star' Lady Margaret Montgomery, el- 
dest daughter of Hugh, Earl of Eglintoun, and ul- 
timately heiress of the titles and estates of that 
house, married in 1582 to c Robert, Maister of Sey- 
ton/ (Privy Seal Records, vol. xlix. fol. 89.) He 
was created Earl of Winton, by letters patent, 5th 
of November, 1600, and died in the spring of the 
year 1603. (Crawfurd's Peerage, p. 501.) 

1. 3. for out-^forne^ read out-^fandS] 

89, f Love let me wage! Uhill, Uhilk, and Uhair, in 
this page ought to read Vhill, Vhilk, and Vhair. 1. 9, 
omitted by the transcriber. 

90, c Hir brouis.' 1. 5, line also omitted by the writer of 
the Drummond MS. 

91, *. Excuse me/ suppose, err. for suppone ; and L 14, 

\jreceauer\ 
91, c Vha wold behold? 1. 9, resone then [jean do ,\] 
1. 10, dele the marks after bot io; 1. 11, may read, 
his bondage basse to beir ; 1. 13, does [Jie ;*2 I **r 
glore [Jo dier\ 

93, c Quhat suld I wish' The last line cut away in 
the MS. 

94, ' Quhat reckless rage' 1. 9, a knave \jndeid*} ; 1. 
12. to byde be ; 1. 14, be, err. for he. 

9 



a O T E S. 



305 



96, ? My best belouit.' The author of this sonnet, and 
the second one, which follows it, appears to have 
been Hugh Barkley, or Barclay, of Ladyland, in 
the parish of Kilbirnie and county of Ayr. Spotis- 
wood relates the fate of the laird of Ladyland, 
in the year 1597, when detected in the insidious 
designs then agitated by the Spanish court. On 
being surprised at the rock of Ailsay, he rushed 
into the sea and drowned himself. (Hist, of the 
Church of Scotland, p. 447.) On 24th April, 1593, 
probably in contemplation of going abroad, Hugh 
Barclay of Ladyland conveyed all his lands to 
his brother-german, David Barclay, and his heirs 
male, and, on then- failure, to the nearest heir male 
of entail of the said Hugh, to be held of himself, 
with the reservation of a life-rent out of them to 
his mother, Margaret Craufurd, relict of the late 
David Barclay of Ladyland, and to Isobell Stewart, 
his own spouse. This disposition was confirmed 7th 
May, 1593. (Reg. Magn. Sig.) There is an act of 
Parliament, A. D. 1597, e in fauours of Mr Andro 
Knox, minister at Paisley, approuing the Act of Se- 
creit Counsal, 8th Junij last, as to the proceedings 
ag* umq le Hew Barclay, of Ladyland.' (Acta Pari, 
vol. iv. p. 148.) David Barclay of Ladyland was 
served heir of David Barclay, his father, March 27, 
1606. 

96, c Belouit brother.' Ezekiel Montgomery was per- 
haps a brother of Captain Alexander. From the 
reply by Ladyland, which is printed in the next 
page, we are led to suppose that this sonnet was 
written by the poet in Ezekiel's name. 

97, c Sir Icarus.' 1. 2, so in the MS., but we evidently 

U 



306 



NOTES. 



should read, * whose bag that bolt/ &c. ; t li, my 
lord— Lord Semple, of Castle Semple. 

97, tf i?/*W Z>rwfo7 Z>o#.' This sonnet has been transpo- 
sed : it ought to have followed * The Old Maister,' 
in p. 98. 

98, < The Lesbian lad.' 1. 9. Jane> q. JWme ? as in p. 97. 
1. 14 ; 1. 10, Seolfrie, q. Scotfrie ? 



THE FLYTING. 



The prototype of this singular performance was the 
Ply ting between Dunbar and Kennedy, first printed by 
Chapman and Myller, at Edinburgh, in the year 1508, 
4to. The edition of the Fly ting which has been fol- 
lowed, is possessed by the Editor, through the kindness 
of his friend, George Nicol, Esq. A copy of the other 
edition, printed in 1629, is in the library of George 
Chalmers*, Esq. whose intended History of Scotish Poetry, 
as we may reasonably anticipate, will throw much new 
and important light on so interesting a subject. 
108, 1. 5. Dele comma after bystour, 
113, 1. 22. c In the hindir end ofharuest' This stanza 
is the one quoted by King James, in 1584, as the 
kind of verse, ' callit Rouncefallis or Tumbling 
verse, to be followed c for Fly ting, or Invectiues.' 
In this stanza are the following variations : — For 
on, read vpon; 1. 2. dois ryd, r. rydis now ; 1. 3, 
bunward, r. benward; 1. 4, in trupis, r. into troupis ; 
1. 6, hoblandy r. hotcheand — on a heicht ; 1. 7, r. 
The King ofFary, with the court of the Elf Queen; 
1. 8. dele was; 1. 10, r. Beside a pot baith auld and 
worn; 1. 11. r. this bratchard ; 1. 13, r.facih 



NOTES. 307 



MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 

Among the Miscellaneous Poems perhaps The Bankis 
of Helicon ought to have been included. In the 
Maitland MS., where it is preserved, and from which 
it has been printed by Pinkerton andSibbald, it is anony- 
mous. Nevertheless, from its having so close a resem- 
blance to the style of Montgomery's poetry, and being 
allowed to have been the model on which the Cherrie 
and the Slae was formed, it was thought proper to in- 
sert it in this place. The musical notes are printed 
from a MS. volume, bearing the date of 1639, which 
belonged to Mr Alexander Campbell, and is now in Mr 
Heber's possession. Alluding to this set, Bitson, in a 
letter, dated Grays-inn, 1st March, 1801, to Alexr. 
Campbell, Esq., says — " Your copy of the musick to the 
' Bankis of Helicon' is essentially different from that 
given to me by Edward Williams ; but i readyly allow 
that the former, if noted in an ancient MS. promises 
to be the genuine air." But a still more ancient me- 
lody, entitled c About the Bankis of Helicon/ composed 
by Blackhall, is inserted at the end of a MS. volume, 
preserved in the University Library, which contains the 
counter-tenor part of the psalm tunes composed by Wode, 
Blakhall, Angus, and the musicians of the chapel royal 
shortly after the Reformation. It may have been a dif- 
ferent ail*, bearing a similar title, although Mr Campbell 
thinks it might be adapted to the words of the Cherrie 
and the Slae, by repeating the tones to the ryhthmus 
and measure of the stanzas. 



308 



JIOTES. 



£ 



P P a 



P p 



■© — e- 



P 2 - 



Declaih ye bankis of He - li-eon, Par-nas-sus hills, and daills ilk 



^ — P 



30=B 



-e — d — e 



on, And fontaine Ca-bel-lein, Gif o - ny of your Muses all, 



s=i= 



fe=e 



P 'jfl o 



Or nymphis, may be pe- re- gall Un-to my la - dy schein ? 



Wr~^ 






__ _ &Q _ 








Wb 




p- • "5 


3_j ^ 3_ t: 2_ 


.J — 


7 , 


3 


nil c 






1 1 














1 _ . 









Or if the la-dyis that did lave Thair body is by your brim, \ 



-4>p- 



^ p- m p o » ■■ 



^m 



e — F-> 



3E 



So seimlie war or £yit] so suave, So bew-ti-ful or trim! 



tfe^Ei 



3 — ^ 



i-W— ll 



■ar-' 



Con - tern - pill ex - - em- - pill Tak be hir pro - per port, 



i 



i 



fc:§: 



£ 



£ 



Gif o - nye sa bo * nye, Amang you did resort. 



NOTES. 309 

II. 

No, no. Forsuith wes never none 

That, with this perfect paragon, 
In beawtie micht compair. 

The Muses wald have gevin the grie 

To her, as to the A per se, 
And peirles perle preclair. 
Thinking with admiratioun Kir persone so perfyte. 
Nature, in hir creatioun, To forme hir tuik delyte. 
Confes then, expres then, Your nymphes, and all thair race, 
For bewtie, of dewtie Sould yeild, and give hir place. 

III. 

Apelles, quha did sa decoir 

Dame Venus' face and breist befoir, 
With colours exquiseit ; 

That nane micht be compair'd thairtill ; 

Nor yit na painter had the skill 
The bodye to compleit : 
War he this lyvelie goddes' grace, And bewtie, to behauld, 
He wald confes his craft and face Surpast a thousand fauld. 
Nor abill, in tabill With colours competent, 
So quiklie, or. liklie, A forme, to represent 

IV. 

Or had my ladye bene alyve 
Quhen the thrie goddessis did stry ve, 

And Paris wes made judge ; 
Fals Helene, Menelaus' maik, 
Had ne'er caus'd King Priamus' wraik ; 
In Troy nor had refudge. 
For ather scho the pryis had wone, As weill of womanheid ; 
Or els with Paris, Priam's sone, Had gone in Helen's steid. 
Estemed, and demed, Of colour twyis so cleir : 
Far suetar, and metar To have bein Paris' feir. 
9 



3J0 NOTES. 

V. 

As Phebus' tress hir hair and breeis ; 

With angel hew, and cristall eeis ; 
And toung most eloquent. 

Hir teithe as perle in curall set ; 

Hir lips, and cheikis, pumice fret ; 
As rose maist redolent. 
With yvoire nek, and pomells round, And comelie intervall. 
Hir lillie lyire so soft and sound ; And proper memberis all, 
Bayth brichter, and tichter, Then marbre poleist clein ; 
Perfyter, and quhyter, Than Venus, luifis quein. 

VI. 

Hir angell voice in melodie 

Dois pass the hevinlie harmonie, 
And Siren's song most sueit. 

For to behauld hir countenance, 

Hir gudelie grace, and governance, 
It is a joy compleit. 
Sa wittie, verteous, and wyis ; And prudent bot compair. 
Without all wickednes and vyce : Maist douce and debonair. 
In vesture, and gesture, Maist seimlie, and modest, 
With wourdis, and bourdis, To solace the opprest. 

VII. 

Na thing thair is in hir at all 

That is not supernatural!, 
Maist proper and perfyte. 

So fresche, so fragrant, and so fair, 

As Dees, and dame Bewties air, 
And dochter of Delyte. 
With qualeteis, and forme, divine, Be nature so decoird, 
As goddes of all feminine Of men to be adoird. 
Sa blissed that wissed Scho is in all mens' thocht, 
As rarest, and fairest, That, ever Nature wrocht. 



NOTES. 311 

VIII. 

Hir luiks, as Titan radiant, 

Wald pers ane hairt of adamant, 
And it to love alleur. 

Hir birning beawtie dois embrayis 

My breist, and all my mind amayis ; 
And bodye haill combuire. 
I have no schift bot to resing All power in hir handis ; 
And willinglie my hairt to bring, To bind it in hir bandis. 
To langwis in angwis, Soir woundit, and opprest : 
Forleitit, or treitit, A3 scho sail think it best. 

IX. 

I houp sa peirles pulchritud 

Will not be voyde of mansuetud ; 
Nor cruellie be bent. 

Sa, ladye, for thy courtesie, 

Have pitie on my miserie ; 
And lat me not be schent ! 
Quhat prayis have ye to be sweir, Or -crewellie to kill 
Your woful woundit prisoneir, All youldin in your will ? 
All preising, but ceising, Maist humlie for to serve. 
Then pruif me, and luif me As deidis sail deserve. 

X. 

And, gif ye find dissait in me, 

Or ony quent consait in me 
Your bontie till abuse, 

My dowbill deling be disdaine 

Acquyt, and pay me hame againe ; 
And natlie me refuise. 
Bot sen I mein sinceritie, And trew luif from my hairt ; 
To quyt me with austeritie Forsuith war not your pairt. 
Or trap me, or wrap me Maist wrangfullie in wo ; 
Forsaiking, and wraiking Your servand, as your fo. 



312 NOTES. 

XL 

Alace ! let not trew amitie 

Be quyt with so greit creweltie ; 
Nor service be disdaine ! 

Bot rather, hairt, fee reuthfull, 

And ye sail find me treuthfuli, 
Constant, seicreit, and plaine. 
In sorrow lat me not consome, Nor langer dolour drie, 
Bot suddanlie pronounce the dome, Giff I sail leif, or die. 
That having my craving, Mirthfull I may remaine ; 
Or speid sone the deid sone, And put me out of paine. 

It ought to be remarked that the poem, entitled ' Ane 
Ballat of the Creatioun of the warld, man his fall and 
redemptioun, maid to the tone of the bankis of Helecon/ 
by Sir Richard Maitland, in George Bannatyne's MS., 
and the poem, which bears the name of £Sir William 
Kirkcaldy of] ' Grange's Ballat,' 1571, preserved in 
Richard Bannatyne's Journal, are both written in the 
measure of the Cherrie and the Slae. 



136, 1. 17. r. And seme, whatever. 

138, 1. 1. for Bacre, r. B acre. 

146, 1. 7, for remeady r. remeid. 

149, 1. 1, c To the Echo.' The first stanza of this poem 
King James, in 1584, calls Troilus verse, and quotes 
it to be used e for tragicall materis, complantis, or 
testamentis/ 

1. 3, for bind him, r. hind the. 

155, 1. 16, r. Ofnymphis mony a one. 

161. This ' Sang on the Lady Margaret Montgomerie,' 
and the following poem on the same lady, are 
from Pinkerton's selections from the Maitland 
MSS. The poet seems to have mistaken Clymene 
for Danae ; and Hymen he has converted into a 
goddess. 



NOTES. 



313 



164, 1. 12, Dian. 

165, 1. 9, r. Sumtyme ze ivittvant. 

165. * Ze Inglische Hursone' This poem first printed 
by Leyden, in his Introduction to the Complaynt of 
Scotland, ought, perhaps, to have been included 
among the Sonnets ; along with the Answer to an 
Highlandman's Invective, it is copied from Ban- 
natyne's MS. The verses, c How the first heland 
ma of God was maid/ &c. in the same MS. begin- 
ning, 

God and sanct petir was gangand be the way, 
although they bear some resemblance to parts of 
The Flyting, have, without any authority, been at- 
tributed to Montgomery. The four lines of a com- 
parison, c The bramble growis/ which are often 
subjoined to The Cherrie and the Slae, belong to 
Sir Wm. Alexander of Menstry. 

166, c Quha sowld I hive' On first inspecting Banna- 
tyne's MS. and finding it so stated in the list of its 
contents by Pinker ton, this poem and the four lines 
which follow it, were thought to have formed the 
commencement of the poem c Irkit I am/ printed 
p. 167, and which bears Montgomery's name. Al- 
though they are anonymous, they are printed, as 
they are not unlike his style. 

169, c The Solsequium.' Several minute differences 
might be pointed out from the MS. and printed 
copies of this favourite song. The air is given 
along with the words, in tlie curious volume, enti- 
tled, f Cantus, Songs, and Fancies', first printed 
at Aberdeen by John Forbes, in the year 1662, 4to. 
Since the present volume was printed off, this, and 
some of the following poems of Montgomery, ac- 
companied with the music, have been discovered 
in the same collection. 



314 NOTES. 

175, 1. 3, for blinks, r. blinkis. 

179, 'Even dead, behold I breath.' This song, with the 
air, is printed in the Aberdeen Cantus. St. II. 
12, r. i" love, I duyn, I dwie. IV. 5. Sould stay to 
cure my smart. 

185, * If faithfulnes.' The last line of the first stanza 
may read, \^Then suld I guerdon have.*2 

187, ' Lyk as Aglauros,' 1. 8, so, in MS., but we ought 
certainly to read, e Or lyk as Psyche.' 

188, 1. 23, for hermit, r. Eremite. 

190, 1. 4, for vnto, r. to- 

192,1. 7, may read the cunning \jsense transcends^ 

201,1. 16, r. Destinies. 

204,1. 16, for bright \\Aurora,*2 read bright ^Diana.^ 

209, 1. 2, r. heuinly. 

211,1. 10, x. flour is fair. 

214, c Before the Greeks' Printed with some slight va- 
riation in Forbes's collection of Cantus. The last 
stanza is quoted by King James, in 1584, as the 

* kynde of commoun verse' to be used ' in materis 
of loue/ 

216,1. 8, r. with thoghtis. 

217,1. 6, r. teiris sutet. 

219, ' Hey now the day dauis.' This beautiful lyric 
poem is doubtless the most ancient set of words 
existing to that fine plaintive melody, (Hey tuttie 
taitie,) best known from Burns's celebrated ad- 
dress, g Scots ivha hae wi Wallace bled' The an- 
tiquity of this air must be considerable, as the tune 

* Now the day daw is,' or ' The ioly day now dawis,' 
is referred to by Bishop Douglas, by Dunbar, and 
other early writers, as then being well known to the 

* commone menstralls* An imitation of Montgo- 



NOTES* 315 

mery's verses, by one of the Wedderburns, is found 
in their interesting volume, ( Ane compendious 
buik of godly and spirituall sangis, changeit out of 
prophaine languis in godly sangis, for avoiding of 
sin and harlotry/ The following stanzas form part 
of this ' gude and godly' imitation, and are copied 
from the edition, ( Edinbvrgh, printed by Andro 
Hart, 1621/ small Svo. bl. 1. 

Hay now the day dallis, 
Now Christ on vs callis, 
Now welth on our wallis 

Appeiris anone : 
Now the word of God rings, 
Whilk is King of all Kings ; 
Now Christis flock sings, 

The night is neere gone. 

Wo be to zou, Paip and Cardinal!, 
I traist to God ye sail get ane fall, 
With Monkis, Priests, and Friars all, 

That traists noght in God alone. 
For all your greit pornpe and pride, 
The word of God ye sail not hide, 
Nor yet na rnair till vs be guide, 

The night is neere gone. 

Ze gart vs trow in stock and stone, 
That they wald help mony one, 
And noght till traist in God alone, 

I say ye lied euery one ; 
I wot Sanct Peter, nor Sanct Paul, 
Nor yet na Sanct can saue your Saull, 
Thoght mony leisings make mony brawl. 

The night, &c 



316 NOTES. 

Ze seme to stricken be with rods, 
Because of idols ye make Gods, 
For all your joukis and your nods, 

Zour harts is hard as any stone. 
Ze will not leif your hypocrisie, 
Bot your desiris is ay for to lie, 
And the Feind away with you will flie, 

The night is neere gone. 

220, 1. 1. fields, r.fieldis. There are many other words 
in this song which should be dissyllables ; thus 1. 
9, should read, Now hairtis with hyndis ; and all 
the triplet rhymes should end in is, — line 3, (quhair 
lilies like hue is,) should be enclosed in parentheses. 

221, 1. 8, for at, r. as Titan. 

926, 1. 5, this line is cut away in the MS. 

227, 1. 6, r. cairis clene. 

227, the last line in this page may read, [J?ra this warld 
outr\ 

233, 'The Navigatioun/ This Pageant was probably 
composed to grace the king's f first and magnificent 
entry' into Edinburgh, in the year 1579, when he 
assumed the government. This may be inferred 
from the lines in the middle of the poem itself : 

" We shaip to saill near the Septentrion 
Towards the North, and helthsum regione 
Nou callit Scotland — 

Quhair presently beginneth for to ring [reign] 
So sapient a zing [young] and godly king," &c. 

On this occasion, the magistrates of Edinburgh, the 
2d October, 1579, ordained that order should be 
taken " for vpsetting of daillis & vyer-tymmer in 
the Neyer-bow & vyer places neidfull, for decoring 
of the tovne agane the triuphe to be maid to the 



NOTES. 317 

kingis entre." (Council Records, vol. v. fol. 165\) 
And on the 7th October, is an act respecting the dress 
of Ci euery one of the thretty-twa honest ny 1 bo ris of 
this burgh, appoynted for bering of the kingis 
Maiesties paill. ,, (vol. v. fol. 166.) Of the cir- 
cumstances which attended the king's reception, a 
curious and interesting account may be found in 
Malcolm Laing's edition of the Historie of James 
the Sext, p. 276-9. 8vo. or in Crawford ofDrurnsoy's * 
Memoirs, compiled from the same history. 
242. c The Cartell of Three Venturous Knichts,' evident- 
ly forms a part of the same pageant. 

242, Zouz, err. for zour. 

243, ' Gude Robert Scot.* This Robert Scot, Clerk of 
Session, after the decease of James Macgill, Clerk 
Register, was offered the situation, as the eldest 
Clerk of Session, to whom, at that time, it was 
considered " the place by right was due ;" but he 
refused the same, telling his Majesty cs that upon 
no terms he would be a lord/' In consequence of 
his refusal, Alexander Hay resigning his place of 
Director of the Chancery, in the year 1577, was pre- 
ferred, and Robert Scot was appointed to that si- 
tuation. He was grandfather to Sir John Scot of 
Scotstarvet, in whose favour he resigned the office 
of Director of the Chancery in the year 1592. 
(Scot's Staggering State, p. 120 and 160.) Ro- 
bert Scot died 28th March, 1592. (Douglas's 
Baronage, p. 222.) 

244, c Stay, passingerJ Sir Robert Drummond of Car- 
nok died in the year 1592, aged 74. The surname, 
as placed within brackets in the M S. is filled up 
by Sir Robert's grandson, William Drummond of 
Hawthornden. 



318 NOTES. 

245. f Heir lyis the godly.' This epitaph on Robert 
Lord Boyd, who died 3d Jan. 1589, aged 72, was 
inscribed on his tomb in the church of Kilmarnock, 
from whence it was copied by George Crawfurd, 
and printed in his Peerage, p. 244. It also may 
be found in Sir Rob. Sibbald's Account of the 
Writers, ancient and modern, who treat of the de- 
scription of Scotland. Edinb. 1710, folio. He tran- 
scribed it from Tim. Pont's MS. Description of 
Cunningham. In all these instances, it occurs with- 
out the name of the author. 



THE MINDES MELODIE. 

For the use of the very rare volume which is here 
reprinted, the Editor is indebted to the politeness of 
Richard Heber, Esq. 

245, ' The new pleasant tune/ to which these psalms 
were applied, is c The Solsequium/ a poem, writ- 
ten by Montgomery, and printed at p. 169 of this 
volume. The notation of the air is given in the 
Aberdeen Cantus, printed by Forbes. The publi- 
cation of the present volume, which has assigned 
at least four of the songs contained in this curious 
music book to a Scotish poet, may be adduced as 
a proof of the degree of popularity which Montgo- 
mery's minor poems must have enjoyed. The poet 
himself says, in p. 76, 

" In Cupid's court ze knaw I haif bene kend, 
" Quhair Musis zit some of my sonets sings, 
" And shall do alvvayis to the world's end." 

252, Ps. viii. 1. 7, r. thy grace. 



NOTES. 119 

283, s Away, vain world.' The three first stanzas are 
printed in the Aberdeen Cantus, with some slight 
variations. 

25 5, 1. 8, r. permanent. 



DEVOTIONAL POEMS. 

269, 1. 4, r. conjoyned. 

273 ' I've sinned, Father.' At the close of this ' godly 
prayer,' in Bannatyne's MS. is written, ' films q d . 
Robert Montgomery, poet/ From this mistake, 
the other psalms in the same MS. have been rashly 
attributed by some writers to Robert Montgomery, 
minister in Stirling, and, for a time, Archbishop 
of Glasgow. The nature of his acceptance of the 
see of Glasgow, occasioned great disputes in the 
Church courts, in the year 1582, when he was ex- 
communicated. An account of the proceedings in 
this affair is given by Dr M'Crie, in his Life of 
Andrew Melville. The Archbishop might have 
been a relation to the poet, but he certainly was 
not the author of that poem, which has frequently 
been printed. 



*Pft*ai 




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